


Blossoms Rain in the Halls

by Ury_Salunide



Category: Naruto
Genre: Abuse, Adolescent Sexuality, Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Romance, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2018-03-07
Packaged: 2019-02-12 00:03:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 38,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12946935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ury_Salunide/pseuds/Ury_Salunide
Summary: Haruno Sakura is just about the least popular student in high school. Maybe there are some freaks who are hated more, but they all have their own friends. She has no one. Worse: there's one bully who takes things too far, and Sakura, clinging to the past, can't stand up for herself.





	1. Chapter 1

Haruno Sakura was not popular.  Most people just paid her no attention.  That was not the case with Yamanaka Ino.  Ino had once been Sakura's friend—her only friend.  Then one day she started ignoring Sakura.  When Sakura finally got the hint and accepted her lonesome existence, the bullying began.  Ino, now surrounding herself with other popular girls, seemed to have made it her mission to put Sakura down whenever she could.  Sakura had figured out the best routes throughout the school to avoid Ino.  But that didn't help whenever school was over and Ino would be waiting outside, nor did it help when fourth period came around and they shared the same classroom.

Five more minutes.  Five more minutes of peace.  Sakura wanted to value every last second, but knowing what was about to happen brought the opposite effect.  The second hand of the clock just kept moving, and moving, bringing the memories to the surface and the associated fear.  She glanced at the back of Ino's head.   _Just go away_ , she thought.  Let the bell ring, and make Ino disappear.  

It rang.  She threw her things into her backpack, not even bothering to zip it up. 

The door.  _The door_.  She walked as quickly as she could, right past Ino.  But the cage of students prevented her from getting out the door.  Imprisoned behind bodies clogging her escape, Sakura glanced back.  Ino was chatting with another girl.  Her eyes moved and locked onto Sakura's.  She smirked.  Sakura, her heartbeat spiking, turned back to her fleeting hopes of safety.   _Just go, please_ , she thought.

It cleared.  Her freedom was right in front of her.  She took a few steps out of the classroom and turned down the hall.   

"Where do you think you're going?" asked the familiar voice she once had cherished.  "Face me when I'm talking to you.  And don't you dare try and walk away."

"Please," Sakura whispered.  She strangled the strap of her backpack.  

"Begging now?  You're so pathetic," Ino said.  Her friend snickered.  "I told you to turn around."

Other students walked past, some entering the classroom she had just left the safety of.  Didn't they notice what was going on?  Of course they did.  They acted like they didn't, like they didn't know Sakura, but she knew them all.  Most of them had been classmates for over ten years now.

Sakura turned towards the other two girls.  She hung her head and stared at Ino's sneakers.  _A nice shade of pink,_ she thought.  Her eyes felt like they were about to leak.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, you flat bitch," Ino said. 

Sakura felt the little calmness the sneakers gave her fade further and further away as she passed Ino's legs, her thighs, abdomen, and her chest.  When she met Ino's eyes, she flinched.  The friend was standing by, grinning with brown eyes and matching medium-length hair.  Sakura couldn't deny she was pretty. 

The hatred in Ino's face relaxed for a second.  She almost looked like the friend Sakura had lost.  Then Ino narrowed her brows and showed her teeth as the corners of her lips curved up.  "On second thought, get that ugly shit out of my face," she said.

Sakura couldn't think she was happy to, but she obliged, and felt some relief.  "Why?" she asked under her breath.

"I'm sorry, did  _you_ say something?" Ino asked.

"Why do you do this to me?" Sakura asked, despite feeling paralyzed.

"Why?  Because you deserve it."

Deserve it?  What had she even done to Ino?  Maybe she did deserve it, but Ino couldn't know that.  "Why?  Why do I deserve this?" Sakura asked.

Ino glanced to her friend.  "You've got class next, right?" she asked.  The friend nodded.  "Get going then.  I need to take care of  _this._ "

The friend shrugged and walked away. 

Ino narrowed her eyes, and her lips became something ugly.  She grabbed Sakura by the arm.  Sakura's eyes darted around.  It was deserted around them now.

"There's no one, Sakura," Ino said.

"Someone might hear."

"Fine.  Have it your way."

Sakura was jerked forward.  It felt like her shoulder would dislocate.  The two ended up around a corner and inside a portion of wall that indented ten feet in.  Perhaps there were once plans to put a janitor's closet there.

Surrounded by tile on three sides, Ino thrust her palm out.  A violent vibration went up Sakura's spine as she felt her back slam into tile.  Her head snapped back, then throbbed.  Ino got in Sakura's face.  "You think I'm stupid?  Think I'm an idiot?" she asked.  The words were fuzzy.

"Ino, I don't know what you mean," Sakura said.  She shrank, just a little bit.  It was all she could do.  Ino didn't hesitate to take advantage of this.  Sakura was consumed by Ino and her looming shadow.

Sakura dropped her bag.  Notebooks poked out of it.  

"Why do you think I stopped hanging out with you?" Ino asked.  Her lips were doing that ugly thing again, and the anger never left her eyes.  

"Because I'm a loser," Sakura said, “just a pathetic loser."  Her lips trembled, and she struggled to keep her eyes open.  It wouldn't be long before she couldn't hold back the tears.

"You are, but that's not why," Ino said.  She pushed closer.  Her lips, though forged in anger, glistened a soft, sweet color.  "Sakura, do you think I didn't notice the way you started looking at me?  The way you still do?"

Sakura took in air so quickly that it stung her throat.  A dream-like quality overcame her, and she thought she recognized the girl in front of her as someone from the past.

 _"Hey, Sakura.  How are you doing today?"_ Ino had asked.

 _"I'm good, Ino,"_ she had said.  In truth, that was a lie until just then.  Eating alone had hurt.  It was even worse because people had been nearby, but they chose to ignore her, sitting as far away as possible.  But Ino had made her smile.  Ino had made her feel loved.  And Ino  _is_ pretty.

"Yeah, kinda like that," Ino said.  She might have added some profanities and shook Sakura.

Sakura strained to see.  "Ino, I...."

"Just shut up!" Ino said.  She clenched Sakura's shoulder.  A sharp sensation went through it.

"You're hurting me, Ino."

"Then why do you still look like you want to get in my pants?" Ino asked.  She didn't just look angry anymore. 

The expression bore more weight on Sakura.  She looked into Ino's eyes.  She told herself she hated Ino, but then her thoughts shifted to making excuses for her.  It was admirable, in a way, how Ino did whatever she wanted.  Sakura could never be like that.  There was no courage in her, and she feared the backlash and rejection.  She felt her cheeks heat up.    

"What's wrong with you?" Ino asked.  "I don't like you!"  She wrapped her fingers under Sakura's chin.  She got closer to Sakura.  The conflicting emotions: lost friendship, lust, and hatred all boiled together perfectly to create the strongest desire she had ever felt.  Those lips looked so good.  She could just forget about the physical pain and pretend Ino acted this way because she was in denial about her love for Sakura.  Sakura didn't deserve any better anyway.  Ino was right.  There was something wrong with her.  

Sakura didn't have to fight herself for long.  Ino pressed her lips into Sakura's.  It was light at first, but then Sakura felt pressure against her teeth.  She shut her eyes and parted her mouth a little.  Like with everything, Ino acted without hesitation.  Her tongue tasted like wet, hot pleasure, just a little rough and fleshy.  Warm water ran down Sakura's cheeks and Ino snapped her hand back.

The sweet sensation left Sakura's lips, and she opened her eyes.  Ino was watching Sakura, whose mouth was still slightly opened.  "There!  Are you happy now?  Or do I have to fuck you first?" Ino asked.  She tilted her head, frowning.  "Well?  Do you want my fingers up your pussy or not?"  Air touched underneath Sakura's skirt.  "Huh?  Say something!"   Ino's fingers tickled Sakura's inner thigh then moved onto her crotch.  "Holy shit, Sakura.  Are you seriously getting off on this?  What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Ino stared at Sakura with a disgusted expression, then turned and started to walk away.  

"You were my only friend," Sakura said.

Ino glanced back.  "You're sick," she said, "get help," then continued to walk.  "Consider yourself lucky that I don't tell anyone."  She disappeared around the corner.

Sakura slid to the ground.  She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them.  Try as she might, she couldn't hold back every sound of crying. 

The bell rang.  She was going to miss lunch.  

 _That's okay,_ Sakura thought.  She wiped her eyes and felt a little lighter.  She sighed and looked at her backpack and the notebooks peeking out.  The top one had a piece of painter's tape across it.  On it read: Chemistry.  Somehow, she thought it looked like art.  A pain went through her teeth as her jaw clenched, and she backhanded the top notebook.  It slid across the ground, folding pages over in the process.  "Damn it," she said.  

When she couldn't stand sitting in her self-loathing any longer, Sakura gathered her backpack, putting the notebooks in correctly, then walked to the one she had hit across the floor.  She picked up the notebook and unfolded the pages, examining the one that had contacted the floor.  The graphite was smeared in many places, and it was otherwise dirty.  This was why she needed to buy some pens.

 _Stupid_ _,_ Sakura thought _, everything you do is stupid._  

Sakura shambled into the hallway, not paying particular attention to what she was doing.  She walked until she reached a door.  Shoving it open with her forearm, Sakura entered, and stopped in front of a sink.  Her reflection looked back at her, eyes glassy and puffy.  It was an appropriate look for her.  Maybe someone could find her attractive, if they could see the real her.

Ino had kissed her.  She had nearly raped her, yet, somehow, that had already stopped bothering Sakura.  

 _You're sick,_ Ino's words rang through her head. 

Why was she wet then, and why was she still so wet?  She glared down at her crotch, wishing she could just rip it away.

"Fine," Sakura said.  If that's how it was, why not embrace it?

She turned from the mirror and walked to a stall, slamming the door open.  The smacking sound startled her, and she shut the door quietly after getting in.

 _You're fucking disgusting, are you, Haruno Sakura?_ she thought, sticking a hand down her skirt.   _Fuck it.  Fuck it all!_

She glided a finger up and down a lip, but Ino kept creeping into her mind.  Despite some part of her wanting to fuck her, she hated Ino too much and tried her hardest to shove those thoughts aside. _Go away_ _!_ she thought, rubbing almost viciously.  But no matter how she tried, she couldn't climax.  

With a cry, she spun into the stall door, slamming her shoulder into it, then leaned against it as one would a parent.  She slid down it and sat on the floor, whimpering.

She was a sick, pathetic, flat chested bitch, and she couldn't even get off like one.  Why was life so cruel?   _Fine_ , she thought, _I'll just off myself tonight._ That's what it wanted her to do, after all.

Sakura heard the bathroom door open, and she tried to suck up all her tears.  Maybe if she stayed silent whoever was there would leave her alone.  The tension was too much, though, and Sakura moved her head a little, her hair scratching against the stall door.  It probably didn't make any noise, and surely the person was just going to notice her sitting on the floor anyway, but she hated herself for it, nonetheless. 

"Sakura?" a small voice asked.  Her footsteps drew closer to the stall Sakura was in.

"Go away," Sakura said.  Her cheek was starting to stretch against the plastic.  The girl already knew she was there, so it didn't matter anymore.  Sakura repositioned herself, leaning her back against the door.

"I'm going to go get a teacher," the girl said.

"No!"

"Then talk to me, Sakura."

Sakura sighed.  "Who is this?" she asked.

"Hinata," the girl replied.

Hinata?  That girl blessed with a perfect figure, beautiful dark hair and uniquely colored eyes?  She was shy and didn't have many friends, but how she was popular with the boys.  That's not to say Sakura knew a damn thing about her personal life, but she saw how boys looked at her, and there were often rumors of her being asked out.  Though, Ino went through boys like mad, so to even compare the two would be silly.

"What do you want?" Sakura asked.

"Just to talk.  I...I heard what she did to you."

"You...you did...?"  Sakura asked.  She felt caged again, and wanted to run and hide.

"Not all of it.  I'm sorry, Sakura."

"Why do you care?" Sakura asked.  She put a hand on the bathroom floor.   _Filthy_ , she thought, but left it there anyways.

"Because...I...I'm a jerk.  I saw what was going on all this time, and I convinced myself I was mistaken.  That it wasn't my place.  But _that_...I'm sorry.  How long has she been hurting you?"

"Years," Sakura said.  "Two, three.  God, I'm so pathetic.  Sitting on a bathroom floor, talking to someone who doesn't even know me."

"Don't say that, Sakura," Hinata said. 

Footsteps echoed against the tile. They stopped in front of the stall door. Sakura felt the door shake and heard cloth scrape against it. Then she felt soft, warm flesh atop her hand. Fingers caressed hers. A fuzzy feeling, one she hadn't felt in years, filled her up. Then embarrassment. That was the hand she had had down her panties. Should she say something? How could she?  She was so awful.

"I'm attracted to girls, too," Hinata said.  

Bewilderment stunned Sakura.  "Reh-really?" she asked.

"Yes.  It's been lonely.  So lonely.  I can only imagine how _you've_  felt."

Sakura's lips trembled as she tried to hold back the sound of a cry.  Just as she thought she had accomplished it, a lowly whimper escaped her.  Then another, and she tried to choke back others.

"It'll be okay, Sakura.  I'll be your friend.  I promise."

Sakura sniffed and clenched over her heart with her free hand.  "She'll hurt you too," she said.

"That's okay, if she does.  I won't leave you." 


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura, after Hinata had asked many times, finally got up and pushed the door open.  After the lame piece of plastic had flown to the side then tried to snap back (Sakura was competent enough to catch it and place it off), she put her full attention on Hinata, even though every bone told her to try and ignore her—just as she had tried to ignore Ino.  

She stood there, watching Hinata.  Her lavender eyes were so breathtaking, and her curves were perfect, but she was a little bit shorter than Sakura.  Maybe that is what made her smile.

Sakura clenched her eyes so tight they would have bled if they were of any significant muscle.  Strength or not, she felt her mouth move accordingly.

She truly was awful. 

_"You're sick. Get help."_

Here she was, standing in front of the first person since Ino to take notice of her, and all she cared about was being better than Hinata in some way.  Sure, Hinata was prettier.  Hinata had large breasts and hips to match.  Sure, her eyes were large and unique, and her hair was long and silky.  But you know what she didn't have?  Naturally pink hair.  If anyone cared, Sakura had that.

"Pink is my favorite color," Hinata said.  She smiled.  Those lips were so precious.  Every ounce of them craved to be touched, but only in the most loving way—a way Sakura could never provide.  She thought about it all the while Hinata looked at her (Hinata had glanced off several times, but neither of them had said a thing—perhaps Sakura was the first person she _told_ ).  Sakura was sick.  She dripped with the desire to fuck Ino, who wanted nothing more than for her to disappear.  Sakura was awful, stupid for loving someone who treated her like trash.  But she was trash.

Hinata turned her head away and raised a balled hand to her mouth.   _Yes, just like that,_ Sakura thought.  It was how it was meant to be.  Who cared if pink was Hinata's favorite color?  Hair meant nothing when faced with reality. 

"Uh...um," Hinata said.  Was this her problem?  Was she always shy in front of people, or was...was Sakura...really her favorite color?  

Sakura glanced away.  "Spit it out, already," she said.  

"I...I'm sorry, Sakura!" Hinata said.  

Sakura turned back to the girl, who seemed to be awaiting eagerly.  Sakura, for the first time in her life, felt free.  "Please, don't be sorry," she said.

"But I'm so...I'm useless.  I try to...to comfort you, and...and...." Hinata said.  She looked at the tiles.

"Stop it, Hinata," Sakura said.  She raised a hand forward, staring at Hinata's face.  She snapped it down.  Sakura felt tears coming, and sniffed, trying to hold them back.  "Isn't this my...my tragedy?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Hinata said.  She glanced up at Sakura out of the corner of her eyes.  She really was so fragile, so...delicate, so defenseless—perhaps even more vulnerable than Sakura, given the circumstances.  Was that wall really all that had given her strength?

_"Pink is my favorite color."_

If she looked at it that way...no, it was only because they were both gay.  Hinata didn't mean it as a compliment—just as a soothing voice.  She was nice, right?  That's why...that's why...

 _"Pink is my favorite color."_  

Hinata looked at Sakura, then kept glancing away.  Was she really this desperate?  Sakura wanted Ino because of their past, but this Hinata girl knew nothing of Sakura.  Yet, if Sakura wasn't the complete idiot she felt like...but how could it be?  Sakura was trash.  Dirty, dirty trash.  She glanced down at her hand.

"Hinata, do you want me to kiss you?" Sakura asked.  After what she had just been though, it didn't feel like such a big deal.

Hinata let out the smallest sound of a gasp.  It was too cute.  Sakura felt her cheeks heat up.  She shook her head, like it was nothing, and stepped towards Hinata.  A visible shiver struck Hinata, but she didn't deny her, nor step back.  Sakura placed her hands on Hinata's hips.  Hinata raised a hand to her cheek, blushing.  "You want  _me_ to touch you?" Sakura asked.

Hinata nodded.

She was so, so desperate, Sakura thought.

Sakura felt herself shake.  This was her chance to impress another girl.  A dumb girl who just wanted sexual contact.  No, don't be mean, Sakura.  

Sakura leaned forward.  Hinata shut her eyes and Sakura followed suit. 

 _Ino_ , Sakura thought.  She didn't care about how she despised her.  Right now, just like the picture on her dresser, Ino was someone of the past.

 _"Ino, I don't think that's the answer,"_ Sakura had said.

Ino had laughed.   _"You're so gullible, Sakura.  Of course that's not the answer!"_   Her smile was infectious.  

 _You're just another Ino_ , Sakura thought.  She wrapped her arms around Hinata.  She tried to mimic Ino and locked her lips with Hinata's.  She shoved her tongue into Hinata's mouth and felt her moan.  _You're just a stupid dike who found another.  You don't really like me._

But Hinata, she was nothing but warmth in Sakura's arms.  She clung to Sakura, one hand wrapped around her waist, and the other on her shoulder as she pressed into Sakura's chest, leaning up so Sakura had all the leverage.  Sakura opened her eyes to see if what she was imagining was true and nearly fell in love.  Those eyelashes...that beautiful hair...the top of her little nose....now she just wanted to see more.

A heat overtook Sakura, and she grabbed one of Hinata's legs.  She brought it up to wrap around her waist.  She stroked Hinata's thigh and butt.  If she were Ino....  

"Hinata," Sakura whispered.  

Hinata opened her eyes. "Yeh-yeah?" she asked.

Sakura remembered Ino's confidence: the way she had pulled pranks on her, the way she had found special places for them, and the way she put her tongue down her throat, like Sakura had just replicated.

"You want to make out sometimes?" Sakura asked. 

"Yeah," Hinata whispered.  

Sakura looked into her lavender eyes.  They were pretty, but...but...Ino.

Ino was...Hinata only wanted her because she was gay.

Sakura shut her eyes, and pressed into _Ino_.  Her tongue tasted so good.  Now that she wasn't crying, she could appreciate every bit of it...of _Ino's_ saliva, _her_ flesh....

She opened her eyes to see Hinata's shut lids.

 _You slut_ , Sakura thought.  She was kissing Hinata for her benefit, and because...Ino.  But....

Hinata looked so precious in her arms.  How could she be such trash?  Sure, she was so red, unlike Ino had ever been.  And the way she held onto Sakura was to die for.  Sakura couldn't help but stare down at her—her oversized hoodie clumping together around the neck, making her look even more vulnerable.

Hinata opened her eyes after Sakura had been unresponsive for a time.  "S-Sakura?" she asked.

Sakura looked at her with a blank expression.  "What?" she asked.

"Are we...girlfriends?"

Was that a joke?  Now Sakura was confident she could win Ino over.  N-no...not _that_ Ino. 

Sakura shook her head.  "Hinata..." she whispered.

"D-don't look at me like that, Sakura!" Hinata said.  She clenched her eyes tight.  "Please!"

"Hinata?"

"Like I'm some trash!  Please...I...I like you too much!"

She...she actually liked her?

"Stop it.  You're just...infatuated, because we're gay," Sakura said.

"No!  I liked you even before!  I'm sorry!  I might not have....might not have done anything if I hadn't known, but I liked you!"

It wasn't at all an act of kindness?  Sakura wanted to be angry, but she couldn't.  "Why do you like me?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know!" Hinata said.  She looked up at Sakura and tightened her grip around her neck.  "I just...I just...like the color pink, and I like the way you look, and I like the way you're alone, and I like the way you walk...and...and...just call me shallow, but I like you!" 

Sakura thought about all the time she had spent with Ino and how she had loved her so much.  "You are shallow," Sakura said.  Part of her didn't want to say it.  She didn't let go of Hinata, but instead watched for her reaction.  _You're s_ _ick._

Hinata, her arms still wrapped around Sakura's neck, glanced away.  "Is it wrong to be shallow?" she asked into the air around Sakura's shoulder.

Hinata was so cute.  Sakura hated to hurt her, but for some reason, she did.  "Yes," Sakura said.  "You don't even know me, yet...."

Hinata looked up into Sakura's eyes, begging her not to say anything further.

For some reason, Sakura truly believed she could win over Ino, and that that was what she wanted.

"Just...we should be friends, right, Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"Ye-yeah," Hinata replied.  Her arms loosened up.  Sakura tightened her grip on Hinata.  Hinata blushed.  She was so naive.  So blissful.  Love was pain, and she knew nothing about it.

But Sakura did.  Even if Ino wouldn't love her back, she understood love like Hinata couldn't possibly. 

Or maybe that was why.  

 


	3. Chapter 3

_"Wanna make out after school?"_

_"Sorry, I have tennis."_

_"Oh?  You any good?"_

_Hinata blushed.  "You want to see?"_

_Sakura felt like shit to ask, but said, "do you have a ride?"_

_"I have a car."_

_And that decided it all._

Sakura watched as Hinata hit the tennis ball to the other side of the court.  Who could have guessed she was so athletic?  What, with those baggy clothes she wore?

Her skirt flapped up from time to time, and Sakura, leaning forward on the bench with her elbows on her thighs and hands on her cheeks, watched intently.  Hinata's ass cheeks (barely covered by white panties) flashed every once in a while.  Sakura glanced at the people around her.  They were all team-players, so into the sport, or perves, like her.  She licked her lips, imagining Hinata bent over.  Sakura wanted her face between Hinata's ass as she licked her pussy.

But, that wasn't the pussy she really wanted....

If Ino...If she could just see Ino naked, once, sprawled out on a nice soft bed...her thighs shaking as Sakura moved a hand along them, then placed her mouth on her soft, wet pussy....If she could just fuck Ino once, she'd be so happy.

But Hinata...she was perfect.  She didn't hurt Sakura (though that hardly mattered) and she was surprisingly athletic.  Her tits gave off a heavenly bounce with each stroke, and Sakura, the sick perv she was, wanted to lick them up—though she couldn't decide which was best whenever Hinata's skirt flew up once again (as in, both Hinata's tits and ass made Sakura wet).

Sakura watched intently as Hinata made "hut!" sounds while she hit the ball.  Hinata wasn't as good as the senior in front of her.  She lost every game.  Though, to Sakura's understanding, not by a wide margin.  

 _She's hot, athletic and rich_ (Sakura had asked if Hinata had a job, which she responded with 'getting good at tennis is my job') _._ Not only that, but she was kind.  Hinata was perfect, yet, whenever Sakura daydreamed about licking her pussy, Ino always ended up coming to mind.

But...she had been so mean to Hinata.  As she watched the little girl hit the tennis ball around, she started to accept Hinata meant her words.

 _"You really like tennis?"_ Sakura had asked.

_"Yes!  I'm not very good, but what I want, I put my mind into!"_

In that sense, she was the opposite of Ino (when it came to Sakura, at least).  Ino only used her skills to dominate her.

Though, that was hot in its own way....

 _"Sakura, I've fallen for this boy, Sasuke.  He's so hot and smart.  What do you like in a boy?"_ Ino had asked, as if those words were totally natural to a faggot.

_"I don't know.  I guess, I just want him to be like you: pretty and kind."_

And Sakura had smiled with all her heart, not understanding the difference between her and Ino's perspective.

But she saw the sweat glisten off Hinata.  Her arms were sweaty, her legs were sweaty, and....

"How'd I do?" Hinata barely managed to ask between deep breaths.  The two stared at each other for what felt like a whole minute.

"You were great, Hinata," Sakura said.

Hinata smiled.  "Thank you.  I'm going to shower before I take us home."

That didn't sit well with Sakura.  "No.  Can't you shower later?" she asked.

"I guess I can," Hinata said,  She smiled and inched closer to Sakura.  Sakura wanted to place a hand over Hinata's crotch, but for some reason that would be frowned upon.  "Are you in a real hurry?  I'm sorry if I forgot!"

Sakura looked at Hinata and her smile.  That smile...a smile that deserved a kiss, that deserved love....

She grabbed Hinata by the wrist and waist.  "S-Sakura?" Hinata asked, blushing.  She kissed Hinata for all the world to see.  Sakura rubbed a hand against Hinata's cheek then through her hair.

"Sakura," Hinata somehow got past Sakura's lips.  "But...they...."

"Fuck them," Sakura said.  She kissed deeper, licking Hinata's lips and playing with her tongue.

Someone booed.

Then someone cheered.

Then another.

Sakura, with Hinata's head in one hand and tilting it so she could work Hinata the way she wanted, pressed deeper.  Hinata may not of been Ino, but she was sick of the bullshit.

Hinata moaned and Sakura wanted to slip her fingers down Hinata's skirt.

Later, in Hinata's car, Sakura said, "Stop around there."  She pointed at a corner.

"Wha-why?" Hinata asked.  She looked at Sakrua for a brief second as she clenched the wheel.  She looked so small and vulnerable.  

"I want to fuck you," Sakura said.  She held her face forward at the road.

"Whah...what?" Hinata asked.

"You heard me.  Pull over and I'll fuck you."

"S-Sakura, you don't have to do that."

"I know.  But I want to.  I want to see what it's like.  Hurry up and pull over, if you want me to fuck you."

Hinata looked at Sakura for a moment, her mouth agape, then turned the wheel.  "Here?" she asked.

"It's fine," Sakura said, and Hinata hit the breaks.

She looked at Sakura.  Her expression was both confused, scared, and...there was definitely desire.

Sakura leaned over and hit the button on Hinata's seat, causing her to gently stream down as Sakura kissed her.

One of Hinata's hands came up to the back of Sakura's head and held her in place as she passionately kissed her.

Sakura, after feeling she had worked _Ino_ enough, stuck a hand down Hinata's skirt.  A whiff of sweaty air filled Sakura's nostrils and she wanted to fuck _Ino_ even more.

She played with  _Ino's_ pussy until it was so wet Sakura could slide a finger in and out without worrying if it'd hurt the girl.  No, she was so wet she could glide all around it like a figure skater.  Sakura pushed  _Ino's_ thighs apart and leaned over, pushing Hinata back.  She pulled Hinata up by the ass so her pussy was in her face, then she went down.  Other than the _dark_ pubic hair, it was divine.

"Can you shave?" Sakura asked after she sucked on one of Hinata's lips, making a smacking sound.  She then moved her tongue around her clitoris as she gently put a finger in her vagina.  

Hinata moaned.  "Yes, yes, if you want....I'll shave," she said.

 _Ino_ came, and Sakura licked her fingers.

After panting for a good while, Hinata asked, "You want me to...?"

"No," Sakura said.

Hinata looked at her, hurt.  "Am I no good?" she asked.

Sakura wasn't sure what to say, so she tried the truth: "I can't come," she said.

"Wha-what?"

"You heard me.  I.  Can't.  Come."

"Even...even with another girl?"

"I've never tried, but I really doubt it...."

"Let me try."

Sakura sighed, then leaned back.

Hinata played with her pussy and ate it well, but she still couldn't come.

"It's not your fault," Sakura said.  She smiled at Hinata.  "I'm happy just fucking _you_."


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura was looking out the car window, leaning a cheek in her hand (Hinata's scent was calming).  Forests of trees flew by.  Once in a while, a house would pop up and blink out of existence.  

 _Oh damn_ , _I forgot to apologize,_ she thought, turning to Hinata (who was still in her tennis uniform).  She had some fingers to her lips as she drove.  When she noticed Sakura looking at her, she blushed and grabbed the wheel.  Had she put them there by choice?  It didn't matter.  The fact that this hot girl was just a dumb teenager like herself made Sakura feel better.

"Hey, Hinata," Sakura said.

"Yeah?" Hinata asked.  She didn't take her eyes off the road.

 _Idiot,_ Sakura thought.  Shouldn't she be texting? 

"I'm sorry," Sakura said.

"Sorry?  What for?"

"I shouldn't have said those things about you.  I think it's okay for a relationship to start off shallow."

"Oh, that.  Don't worry about it.  I knew you would."

"What?"

"I mean, I believed you would come around and realize you were being a big bitch."

 _Bitch?_   Who was this girl?

Sakura laughed.  "I didn't think that was in your character," she said.

"I was just eating your pussy," Hinata said, "and you think I can't call you a bitch?"  She glanced at Sakura.  "I'm going to make you come, by the way.  That's another promise."  She winked.

Sakura laughed.  Her knuckles clanked off the window.  Why was that so funny?  She wiped a tear from her eye. 

 _Huh_ , if she had apologized after the tennis match as planned, she wouldn't be laughing right now.  When was the last time she had laughed like this?

Just as Sakura's laughter died down, she noticed Hinata was snickering.  She was trying so hard.  "Just eating my pussy," Sakura said.

Hinata's eyes glistened and her lips moved back.  Finally, she started laughing, and Sakura let loose again.  She had to hold her stomach.

The car started to slow down, then stopped.  Hinata leaned her head on the steering wheel.  Her shoulders bounced up and down as chuckles kept escaping her.  "It's really," she laughed, "not that funny," she said.  After a while, she stopped laughing.  She sighed.  "Ah, damn."  

"Just eating my pussy," Sakura laughed, "you," she laughed, "bitch!"

Hinata fell over and laid in Sakura's lap.  She stared up at her with those big beautiful eyes, smiling.  "It's really not that funny," she said.

Hinata's hair felt like silk between Sakura's fingers.  "You winked," Sakura said.  Hinata kept smiling and raised a hand to Sakura's cheek.  Sakura rubbed into it.  "I think I'm starting to like you."

Sakura wasn't sure, but it looked like Hinata's lips trembled.  "I'm glad," Hinata said, "I've been watching you for years."

"Years?"

"Yeah.  It was just a dumb crush at first.  But the more I told myself it couldn't happen, the more I wanted you," Hinata said.  When she finished speaking, Sakura noticed her mouth stayed open just enough that a small strip of white shown between her lips.

The sun was falling, leaving a pink-orange glow behind. 

"Sit on my lap," Sakura said.  Hinata obliged, her back against Sakura's chest.  Sakura moved her so her torso was a little twisted towards Sakura.  She brought her fingers to Hinata's chin and turned her head.  She brushed her thumb against those soft lips and looked at the perfect white teeth that tried to creep past them.  Hinata's face became red.  Why did Sakura like this look so much?  "You're so fucking hot, you know that?"

"I do," Hinata said.  Her lips curved up.

"A modest one, huh?"

"No."

"An act?"

"No.  I'm just so happy right now."

Sakura smiled into Hinata's lips.  The warm wetness distracted her from the realization that she wasn't thinking about Ino.  When she noticed, that image of her old friend smiling filled her thoughts.  She felt like crying.  She danced her fingers up and down Hinata's stomach then glided them down her skirt. 

"We're never going to get home," Hinata said.  She put a hand around the base of Sakura's head.  One of her delicate little fingers stroked Sakura.

"Do you care?" Sakura asked.

"We have homework," Hinata said.

Homework?  She had just tasted pussy for the first time (well, except that one time she tried her own, but that was just some wetness).  What did she care about homework?  "Do you care?" Sakura asked again.  She rubbed a finger around Hinata's lips.  

"No," Hinata whispered, "I'll manage."

"Good."

When they finally pulled up to Sakura's house, the sun was gone.   _7:69_ the clock read.  Wait, that couldn't be right.  Sakura shook her head.   _7:59_.  She kissed Hinata goodnight.  Hinata waved through the window.  Only after Sakura entered the house did she hear Hinata drive away.

What a crazy day it had been.  Could she really have changed so much?  She doubted she was truly rid of Ino.  She knew she was broken and she'd just slip in that routine again.  And tomorrow Ino would be in fourth period again.  But right now, she felt confident.  She felt warm.  Kind Hinata and her amazing body...her pretty face.  Maybe she'd dream of Hinata tonight instead of Ino.

"Hey, you're home late," Sakura's mother said.  She was in the kitchen, where she belonged (as it is written).  She loved taking care of her family, and what better job was there than that?  Sakura didn't think it was wrong to have greater ambitions, but she wasn't about to, either.  Her mom and dad were all she had.  She wanted a family like hers one day.  To be a housewife would be a nice life.  Wait, wasn't Hinata rich?

"Mom, I'm gay," Sakura said.

"That's nice, honey.  Don't tell your father yet.  He's still in denial."

" 'Kay."


	5. Chapter 5

After supper, Sakura had spent the rest of the night daydreaming about Hinata.  She masturbated a lot without achieving the desired result, but didn't feel the shame from when she thought of Ino.  Her wish to dream of Hinata did come true, though.

When she opened her eyes and smacked the alarm clock off (6:00 AM), she saw the picture of Ino.  She was only thirteen then and so ignorant to what would be.

Sakura showered, dressed and made her way downstairs.  At the table, there were boxes of cereal, a dish, spoon and milk ready for her.  She took her place.  Her mother was doing dishes.   _Omelets_.  Damn, last night she should have asked if her mom would make her something this morning.

"How ya doing, honey?" her mother asked.  She didn't turn from her activities.  

"I had a crazy dream.  I dreamt I kissed a girl in front of her whole tennis team."

"Was it your girlfriend?" her mother asked.

 _Girlfriend?_   Sakura fell onto the table.  That's right, she had told her mother she was gay.

"Something wrong, honey?"

"It wasn't a dream!" Sakura said.  "Oh, no.  I outed Hinata in front of her whole tennis team and a bunch of onlookers."

"Hinata?  That's a pretty name.  Well, she sure spent a lot of time with you after that, right?"

"Y-yeah."

"Then she's probably okay with it."

Maybe they already knew.  Sakura had been presumptuous to think Hinata was in the closet.  She didn't really know what went on with the popular girls.  Some of them must have been her teamates for years now.  "I still shouldn't have done that," Sakura said.

"Who knows?" her mother asked,  "you want me to make you something?  I'll drive you to school."

"Mom...thank you," Sakura said.  Then she remembered she had stayed up masturbating all night and didn't do her homework.  She'd have to do first period on the bus, second period in first period, and so on.  She was a straight-A student, so that shouldn't be a problem.  If her homework grade slipped a tiny bit, oh well.  "On second thought, I'll just have some cereal."

The bus pulled up to school.  She walked towards the front doors.  Other students surrounded her and were pouring in.  Just inside the lobby was a familiar face, waiting for her.

"Sakura!" Hinata said.  She was wearing a cute purple winter wool jacket and holding two foam cups.  "Hot chocolate?"  Her smile was still warmer.

"H-Hinata," Sakura said.  She didn't deserve this.  "Thank you." 

They walked side by side.  "Um," Sakura said, "did I...did I out you in front of your tennis team?"  She felt Hinata's soft fingers brush against the palm of her hand, then lock in.

"It's alright, Sakura," Hinata said.  She leaned her shoulder into Sakura's upper arm.  "We shouldn't hide anymore.  It's not healthy.  Though, I think we should keep it a little more appropriate than  _that._ "

Sakura's cheeks became hot.  "Y-yeah, I guess I got carried away," she said, "did someone really cheer for us?"

Hinata shrugged.  "I was too wrapped up to notice," she said.  She glanced off.  "It is going to be a little awkward in the locker room.  All it takes is one girl thinking I want to fuck her."

"S-sorry.  Do you?"

"I didn't join the team for the coach, that's for sure."

"I thought tennis was your thing?"

"Is it?"  Hinata asked.  She chuckled.  "If I thought that way, I'd of joined the volleyball team."

"Why volleyball?"

"Always surrounded by girls.  Easy to accidently run into some tits."

"Hinata, are you a joker?"

"I'm dead serious.  You have no idea how many times I've seen two girls collide.  One of them usually gets up first, offers a hand.  You can't see it from the stands, but you know her heart is racing and there is lust in her eyes.  The girl on the ground doesn't quite get it, but she feels it too as she grabs onto the hand of friendship and love.  Something in her stirs and she knows she wants  _it_."

"Or she sucks a big dick after the game."

"Yeah, probably."

"Have you...tried it?"

"No.  I was too into you.  I tried boys, yeah, but it never went far."

"I was too obsessed...with...."

"Ino?"

"Y-yeah."

"Do you love her?"

Sakura didn't respond.

"It's okay," Hinata said, "I think I get the nature of your relationship.  But you don't want that, right?"

"Not like that...I mean...I'm sorry, Hinata, I don't know what to say."

"It's okay, really.  I've only been here a day.  I get it."

"How can you be so perfect?"

"I'm not perfect, Sakura.  I told you, I'm a jerk.  I let the girl who holds my heart be abused for years."

"Are you saying you...love me?"

"Could be I do.  But whether that seed blossoms is up to you."

Sakura wasn't sure what those words exactly meant.  "I'm scared part of me will always love her," she said.

"That's okay.  I hope to make part of you always love me, too.  And make that part always be bigger."

Okay.  It was settled.  This girl was, in fact, perfect.  She was polite when she should be, and real otherwise.  She was understanding in such a mature way, yet still a kid learning about sex and love.  She had a perfect body (Sakura liked that she was short, too), received decent marks (not nearly as good as Sakura's, though) and was rich.  Was this luck?  Was it karma?  Sakura didn't believe in that stuff, but now a part of her wanted to rethink what she did believe.  Perhaps herself would be a good place to start.

Hinata stopped them in front of a door.  "This is your homeroom, right?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah," Sakura said.

Hinata looked up at her with those big beautiful eyes.  Her cheeks turned red.  "Lean down so I can kiss you," she said.

 _Holy fuck,_ Sakura thought.  She started daydreaming about yesterday, but the reality of those wanting lips snapped her back.  She leaned over and felt the warmth and tasted the chocolate.  Hinata hugged Sakura and whispered, "I'll love you forever, if you let me."  The way she said it was more sexy than loving.  

"Hinata, if you keep talking like that, I'm going to have to change my panties."

"I can make you wet for the rest of your life."

"Um.  Do you wanna skip class?"

Hinata giggled.  "Be patient, Miss Straight-A," she said, "I'll see you later, okay?  We can fuck after tennis."

Sakura watched Hinata walk away.  She wanted to shout "I love you!" but thought it might only be lust.  No, if this girl was what she seemed, she could definitely love her.

Fourth period.  

Sakura was going her roundabout way when she heard her name called.  She turned to see Hinata jogging over.  "I'm glad I found you," she said, "I wasn't sure where you'd come from."

"H-Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"I wanted to make sure where your classroom is.  I'll meet you after class, so just hang back a bit, okay?"

"Hinata, you really shouldn't...she...she'll...."

"Don't worry about me, okay?" Hinata said.  She wrapped her arms around Sakura.  After the best hug Sakura had in years, Hinata dashed off.  "Bye!" she said while waving and walking backwards for a moment.

Sakura glanced around.   _Fuck it._   "I love you!" she said.

"I love you!"  Hinata's smile made Sakura's heart leap.

Could she make it mean something that would last?

Five minutes before the bell.  Again.  Sakura stared at the back of Ino's head.  

_"You're sick.  Get help."_

Would Ino leave her alone after that?  It almost felt that way, but maybe she was just being hopeful.  Whatever.  Sakura wanted to make things work with Hinata, and she'd take whatever Ino dealt.  She only worried what Ino might do to  _her_.

Four minutes.

Three minutes.

The fear for herself would disappear quickly.  Should she leave like usual?

Two minutes.

The thought that Ino might hurt Hinata was making Sakura sick and angry.

One minute.

...

And it rang.

Last chance.  Stay seated or make for the door?  Last chance.

_"Don't worry about me, okay?"_

_"But whether that seed blossoms is up to you."_

Should she trust Hinata?  Should she bet Ino was done with tormenting her?

She still loved Ino.  After one day, there was no way Ino was going to just drop it completely.

_"Don't worry about me, okay?"_

_"But whether that seed blossoms is up to you."_

She  _wants_ to confront Ino.

Okay.

She's so perfect.  Maybe she's a black belt or something.  At worst, if Sakura could muster up the courage, it was two against two.

 _I'll wait,_ Sakura thought.

Ino chatted with her friend.  She sent Sakura a look, confused, maybe.  After a couple minutes, the friend left.  Sakura got up and tried to walk past Ino without looking at her.

Outside the classroom, Hinata was waiting.

"Oh, so what I heard is true," Ino said from behind Sakura.

Hinata's brows nearly crossed at the base.  "L-leave...l-leave her a-alone!" she said.  She grabbed Sakura's hand.  Hinata's was sweaty.

It wasn't an act.  Hinata was shy outside of tennis and Sakura.  Sakura should have just left earlier.  Now, Hinata was going to get wrapped up in all this.

Sakura felt her stomach fall a thousand feet.  "Hinata, please, just leave," she said.

"You heard her," Ino said.  She placed her knuckles at her hips.  

"I won't!" Hinata said.  Sakura was so scared, yet so grateful.  Ino slapped Hinata so hard that her head bounced off a locker.

"Ino, please," Sakura pleaded.  She felt tears coming.  "You want me!  I want to fuck you!"  Her cheeks became wet.  "Just leave her alone, please!"

"Oh, so you finally admit it?" Ino asked.  She smirked.  "You hear that?  She doesn't want you.  She wants  _me_."

"Wa-why...why...why do you care?" Hinata asked, rubbing the side of her head.

"Shut up!  Our business doesn't matter to you!"

Hinata stepped forward.  She rounded up a fist and swung it like a tennis racket.  She hit into Ino's ribs.  Ino doubled over for a couple seconds.  Hinata, shaking, didn't follow up, and Sakura pulled her behind her.

"You bitch!" Ino shouted.

"Ino, please, let's just stop this!" Sakura said.

"Fuck no!  Your dumb slut of a girlfriend is going to hit me and you think I'll drop it?"

"Ino, please.  I'll do anything.  Just leave her alone."

Ino made an annoyed sound then shut her eyes and said, "Fine.  Come with me.  Both of you.  I have some things to say in private."

"Just me," Sakura said.

"I refuse!" Hinata said.

"You heard her," Ino said, then began walking to the bathroom in the corner that was hardly trafficked.  

"Pay close attention," Ino said, looking at Hinata.  She grabbed Sakura by the arm and guided her into one of the bathroom walls.  "Sakura, I don't hate you, you know that, right?"

"Y-you don't?"

"Of course not," Ino said, "all this has been for you." She gently shuffled forward and pressed her lips into Sakura's.  Sakura let Ino have her way.  She didn't feel so hurt by the invasion in her mouth, this time.  

"Ino?" Sakura asked after a long kiss.

"Yeah, Sakura?"

"Are you...are you gay?"

"Only for you," Ino said.  She kissed Sakura again.  Sakura moaned then felt Ino stroking her inner thigh.  "You want me, don't you?"

Sakura didn't respond.  She glanced at Hinata. 

"Don't look at _her_ ," Ino said.  She stroked Sakura's cheek.  "I'll make love to you."  Ino's fingers were already at her crotch.  "You're so wet.  You want me, right?"

Sakura looked at Hinata again.  Hinata looked like she was about to cry.  

"Stop it.  She doesn't know you like I do," Ino said, gently grabbing Sakura by the chin.  "Say you want it."

Sakura wanted to cry for Hinata, but how she had waited all this time.  "Please," she murmured, and not a second after, she felt Ino's fingers rubbing her pussy.

"Good, Sakura," Ino said, "that's all I've ever wanted to hear."

Ino's fingers were inside Sakura, and Ino kissed her tenderly, like Sakura had always imagined.  "I'm gunna come," Sakura said.

"Good," Ino whispered.

Sakura's thighs shook.  Ino lifted her hand to Sakura's mouth.  "Clean my fingers, Sakura," she said.

"Yes," Sakura said.  She leaned forward and licked Ino's fingers.

"Now, get on your knees."

"Ino?"

"You heard me," Ino said, "you want my pussy, don't you?"  Sakura glanced at Hinata.  Ino smacked her lightly.  "Don't.  Look.  At.  Her."

"Sorry," Sakura said.  She fell to her knees and lifted Ino's skirt up.  Ino's pussy was bittersweet.   

"Oh, yeah, Sakura.  Right there," Ino said, "damn, I can feel your love.  Better than any boy."

Ino's pussy was all she had wanted for years, but Sakura couldn't stop thinking about Hinata.  Warm tears started to leak down her face.

"That's enough," Sakura heard Hinata say, "let her go, or I hit one button and three inches of cold steal go into your kidney."

Sakura looked up.  It seemed like Hinata had her arm around Ino's torso.

"H-Hinata?  This is serious," Ino said.  Her expression became terrified, and Sakura fell back.

"It is," Hinata said.  She frowned and nodded at the door.  "Walk.  Slowly.  Or I swear to God, I will stab you."

"All-alright," Ino said.  She fixed her panties and began to walk towards the door.

"Open the door," Hinata said.  She pressed her fist into Ino's kidney.  Ino opened the door.  "Leave her alone, or I will fucking kill you."

"All-alright," Ino said, and slipped through the door.

Hinata walked up to Sakura and squatted down.  She put a hand to the back of Sakura's head and pulled her into her chest.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata," Sakura said.

"It's okay.  Don't worry."

Sakura felt Hinata stroke her scalp, down to the top of her neck, again and again.  

Was it really all right?  She wasn't much for religion, but she did believe it was better to turn the other cheek.  People could be stupid, could be awful, but Sakura could forgive them.  Was it okay to threaten someone like that?  "Don't hurt her," Sakura said.

Hinata brought a hand under Sakura's chin and lifted her face up.

"Stop it," Sakura said, "I'm so dirty."

Hinata leaned down and kissed her.  Then Sakura felt Hinata's knuckles graze against her hand.  "Look," she said.

Sakura wasn't sure what she was looking at.

"It's just a flat edge," Hinata said, "about 1/4 inches.  Just a bluff.  After yesterday, I thought I should have  _something_."

Sakura began to cry.  She was such a dirty slut.

"It's okay, Sakura," Hinata said.

Sakura looked up at Hinata for a while.  Hinata looked sad, but like she was trying to smile.  It was Sakura's fault.

"I wish I could have been the first to make you come," Hinata said.

"It was a lie.  I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Hinata smiled and helped Sakura up.  "I'll protect you, Sakura," she said.

"Would you...would you hurt her for me?" Sakura asked.  

Hinata raised a brow.  "Yes," she said.

"Would you... _kill_ her for me?"

Hinata's face went red.  "S-Sakura!  Don't ask that of me!" Hinata said.

Sakura glanced away.

"Oh," Hinata said.  She rubbed her face into Sakura's neck and purred.  "Yeah, I'd kill her, for you," she said.

"Tell me how."

"Well," Hinata's hand traveled down Sakura's skirt.  "First, I'd stab her.  Maybe just once, so she'd have time to know what was happening.  Then again, so she'd be sure of it."

"Y-yeah?"

"Then, if she went and hurt you, I'd bash her head in," Hinata said.  Her fingers began to rub more and more, then she slipped a couple into Sakura's vagina.

"Then?"

"I can tie her up for you, and you can have your way with her."

"N-no, I don't want...I don't want to think about her like that," Sakura said.

"Good.  Then I'd torture her  _for you._   Because you deserve better."

"I do?"

"Yeah, you do."  Hinata slipped her fingers out and danced around again, then she began to vigorously rub Sakura's clitoris.

"Do you love me, Hinata?"

"I love you, Sakura."

"You'll never hurt me?"

"Never."

"I'm going to come, Hinata."

"You promise?"

"Y-ye," Sakura moaned, "ye...yeah."

Hinata lifted up her fingers and stuck them in her mouth.  The way she licked them made Sakura moan.  Hinata leaned over, pressing an arm against Sakura's lower back so she tilted down, then shoved her tongue in Sakura's mouth.  


	6. Chapter 6

Sakura stood to the side of a door.  A different girl in a tennis uniform came out every now and again.  Sakura would turn to the wall.  After a moment, she'd look back, waiting to see her... _girlfriend_.  Every time she thought of Hinata in that way, her heart made warm, prickly noises.  She couldn't understand how Hinata could be so kind to her.  She had gone down on Ino right before her eyes.  Ino had fucked her right before her eyes.  _It wasn't rape,_ she told herself.  But did she really have a choice?  What would Ino have done?  And it was true—some part of her had really wanted it.  She was sick, but she didn't want to hurt Hinata, either.  Blood started to run down her upper arms, and she brought her hands out from underneath her sleeves.  Something touched her shoulder, and someone said, "Hey."  Sakura turned to see a girl in a tennis uniform.  It was the girl playing with Hinata yesterday.  She tilted her head at Sakura.

"You're Hinata's girlfriend, right?" she asked.  

Sakura's face became hot, and she nodded.  

"Are you alright?"

Sakura nodded.

"What's your name?"

"Haruno Sakura."

"Alright, well, you don't keep her up too late, okay?" the girl said.  She grinned.

Sakura looked away and nodded.  

"Are you sure you're okay?  I think you might be bleeding."

"I'm fine," Sakura said, "just a scratch."

"Okay," the girl said, "I'm Tenten, by the way.  Ah, there she is.  I'll leave you two alone.  Don't be late, Hinata."

Sakura turned to Hinata and felt her lips try to leap away with her heart.  

"Don't worry," Hinata said.

"Seriously, Haruno Sakura," Tenten said, "she needs plenty of rest the way we run her."  The girl did that thing with her face again, then winked and walked away laughing.

Hinata's face was red.

"S-so," Sakura said, "I take it things went okay?"

"Well, if anyone had a problem, they didn't say a thing about it," Hinata said.  She snapped her racket so it spun a couple times in the air, then she caught it by the handle.  "So, you've met Tenten.  I think I must have been looking really uncomfortable, cause she came up to me and said, 'you're our teammate.  That's all there is to it.' She's really nice."

"Very straightforward," Sakura said.

"Y-yeeeaaah," Hinata said.  She shrugged and offered Sakura her hand and a smile.  "I should get going."

They walked to the bleachers.  "I've got a scrimmage today," Hinata said, "you gunna cheer for me?"

"With all my heart," Sakura said.  Hinata tugged on her hand and Sakura leaned over for a small kiss.

Where Sakura lived, the weather was usually poor.  It rained and snowed a lot.  Tennis was big in her school, so they had indoor tennis courts.  Hinata said they spent more time indoors than out.  Last year, when they went to nationals, Hinata swore they had only lost because they weren't used to the wind.

 Hinata and the other girls were doing stretches and exercises.   _Yes, fuck yeah_ , Sakura thought.  She wiped the top of her hand against her mouth.   _God, she's so fucking hot.  Look at those legs.  That one's nice, too.  And that one.  They're all hot.  Well...not so much that one.  Eh, even I'm prettier than her.  But Hinata...damn, I haven't even seen her naked yet.  I wonder what her tits look like under there._

_"We can fuck after tennis."_

Well, that decided it.  Sakura would have to get Hinata to take them someplace spacious and private.

Hinata bent over.  Her hand brushed her skirt up for a split second, revealing her panties. 

Sakura thought she was going to have a heart attack.

Hinata turned around and leaned forward with her hands on her knees, stretching one leg after the other.  Sakura got a nice view of her cleavage.  She wasn't wearing a sports bra?  Hinata winked.  Sakura crossed her legs in fear that a puddle would form under her.

"Marry me!" Sakura said.

Hinata's eyes opened wide and her face turned beat red.  "Wha...whaaa...."

Sakura laughed.  She leaned an elbow on her thigh and rested her chin and cheek in her palm.

"Yes!" Hinata said.

What?  She knew she was joking, right?

Hinata jogged over to Sakura and threw her arms around her.  "Yes, yes!  A thousand times yes!" she said.

Sakura's heart sank.  Sure, she could picture herself marrying Hinata someday, but that was just a fantasy right now.  She looked at Hinata's face.  It was nothing but happiness.  A toothy smile stared up at her with giant eyes that glinted something bright like Sakura had never seen in a person.

 _"_ _I love you, Sakura."_

_"You'll never hurt me?"_

_"Never."_

How could she hurt this girl?  She risked herself for Sakura in so many ways.  She gave Sakura her first orgasm not three hours ago.  Hinata was a dumb teenager who had thought about Sakura  _for years_.  Now, because of a dumb joke, she was going to have to—

Hinata poked her on the nose and smirked.  "Got you," she said.  Her breath was warm and smelled of peaches.  She raised a brow.  "But hey, don't look so terrified.  Would marrying me really be that bad?"  

Sakura laughed nervously.

"Hinata," Tenten said, tapping her on the shoulder.  "That was very cute and all, but seriously.  Get back on the court.  And stop flashing your girlfriend!" 

Hinata jumped, went red and turned to Tenten.  "Oh, you noticed..." she said.

"Out here, I'm your partner, not her."

Sakura laughed. 

Tenten smiled and pointed her racket at Sakura.  "You're a silly one, Haruno Sakura," she said, "almost as silly as this one."  Her brows crossed.  "But Hinata needs to focus."

"I like you too, Tenten," Sakura said, "I'll behave."

"Good."

The two tennis players started to walk off.  "Sorry," Hinata said.

"It's fine.  She your first girlfriend?"

"Yeah.  Hopefully the last."

Tenten turned and smiled at Sakura.  "Good luck, Haruno Sakura," she said.

Sakura was embarrassed but feeling giddy again.  Yes, someday she could definitely marry Hyuuga Hinata.  Maybe it was silly to already be thinking such things about a girl she had basically only met yesterday, but whatever.  The fantasies were nice.  And why not?  Hinata was  _perfect._

It looked like Hinata and Tenten would lose their match.  Sakura cheered all she could, and at 40-15 they started to turn it around, and won.  Wait, that was just one set?

The two dominated the rest of the game.  Hinata was a lot better than Sakura had imagined.  Tenten must just be that much better than her.

Sakura ran up to Hinata and took her in her arms. 

Hinata giggled and put a hand to the back of Sakura's head.  "C'mon, Sakura, I need to hit the showers," she said.

"I thought I made it clear that I like you hot and sweaty," Sakura said.  She watched Hinata smile.  The tiny bit of teeth showed between her sweet lips under her little nose.  "Take me some place nice so we can fuck."

"We can go to my place."

"What?"

"Yeah," Hinata said, "it's huge."  Well, of course it was.  "We won't even know anyone else is around."

She'd get to see Hinata's home and fuck her in her own bed.  Seriously, what was going on with her life?

Hinata didn't lie.  Well, maybe "huge" was an understatement.  The house was like a museum and the driveway a street in of itself.  They were greeted at the front door by a strange butler.  What was on his face?

The butler bowed.  "Would the Little Miss like her supper?" he asked.

"Thank you, Kakashi.  Well, Sakura?  You hungry?" Hinata asked.

She was hungry, but not for that.  Her stomach rumbled.  Okay, stop trying to be lewd.  "Yeah, I'd love something to eat," Sakura said.

"It'll just be a little while," the butler said, "I didn't know we'd be expecting a guest."

"That's fine," Hinata said, "by the way, this is my girlfriend, Sakura."

"Ah.  You're finally out of the closet, Little Miss."

"Yep.  We're gunna go fuck upstairs.  If anyone asks, cover for me, okay?  And have dinner ready in an hour.  No, make that an hour and a half.  Two hours.  I hope you're not that hungry, Sakura."

"As you wish, Little Miss."

Did that really just happen?

Hinata grabbed Sakura's hand and lead her around.  They walked past marvelous marble pillars with statues of naked dudes and chicks in them.  There were paintings and furniture she had never seen anything like.  "What do you think?" Hinata asked as she placed a hand on a, what Sakura could only assume, was a silver-plated banister.  The maintenance on that thing alone was probably worth more than Sakura's dad.

"I think you're crazy," Sakura said.

Hinata tilted her head at her.  "What?  Why?" she asked.

"You really don't know?  That makes you even crazier."

"Oh, come on.  Kakashi is great.  He's not paid to have an opinion."

Rich people were weird.  Maybe it was just Hinata.

That feeling in her chest—she wanted it to be love.  She wanted it to never go away.

Hinata opened a door.  On the other side was a huge, girly room (aside from a trophy case).  The bed was covered in pink and had a massive translucent pink cloth canopy.  On a wall was a picture of a scantily clad anime girl (fanart?).  The dressers were all an ivory color and elaborately cut with gold trim.  On one of them were portraits.  That must be her father.  Her mother.  Her sister.  She even had one of Kakashi.  Then there were people she didn't recognize, and three of her tennis teams from the past few years.  Then....

Sakura tilted her head and walked over.  She picked up a frame.  "What's this?" she asked.  Well, she knew it was a picture of her from a few years ago.  A yearbook photo?

Hinata grabbed the picture out of Sakura's hand.  "S-sorry," she said, "it's...when...when I first realized I loved you, I had this framed.  I'm sorry.  This is so embarrassing."

Sakura grabbed Hinata's hand.  "It's really flattering, actually," she said.  She pushed herself against Hinata.  "At least it's not a  _secret room_ with crazy photos of me all over the walls."

Hinata laughed.  "I'll be right back," she said.

"H-Hinata?"

"Kidding," Hinata said.  She kissed Sakura (must have gone up on her tiptoes) then put her backpack down.  "But seriously, I'm going to go shower.  I feel gross."

"Aw, come on."

"If you want me sweaty, then make me sweaty."

She couldn't argue with that.  "I'll try my best," Sakura said.

"See that you do," Hinata said.  She smiled and started to walk to a door.

"Wait, Hinata, do you have a computer I can use?  I want to start some homework, then."

"Oh, sure, there's a laptop in my backpack," Hinata said, "feel free."

Sakura heard the water turn on.  Okay, well, at least if there was a secret room, it wasn’t there.

On the desktop was a folder labeled "Pink."  Sakura quirked a brow.  She really shouldn't, but....

Inside, there was a document labeled "My Love" and there were a few terrible pictures of Sakura.  They were probably taken from a distance with a cellphone then cropped up.

She really shouldn't click on that document.  It was wrong.  Hinata was trusting her.   _Just do your homework_ , Sakura thought.

But it was too tempting.

_1._ (it was dated 7 years ago)

That long ago?  Wow....  This was like a diary, or something.  She shouldn't read.

_There's this girl in class.  I think she only has one friend.  Her hair is such a pretty shade of pink.  I've never seen anything like it.  And her eyes are like emeralds.  I want to talk to her so badly.  I want to be her friend, too, but I'm too shy.  I can't do anything.  I'm always going to be alone.  Stupid, stupid._

They went on like that for some time.

_35._ (5 years ago)

_I think I'm gay.  How did I not realize it sooner?  I can't stop thinking about Haruno Sakura.  She's so pretty.  I wish she's gay, too.  Is it wrong to wish that on someone?  There's nothing wrong with me, right?_

She really shouldn't be reading this.

_113_.  (3 years ago)

_I think Sakura is all alone now.  I haven't seen Ino with her in a long time.  I should talk to her.  She needs a friend.  But...I keep dreaming about how I'll save her and we'll make love.  That's not friendship.  Why am I making excuses?  I can't talk to her.  I'm such a coward._

_192._ (2 years ago)

_I think Ino has been hurting Sakura.  I'll kill her.  I'll fucking kill her!_

There were a lot of small entries like that mixed in with talk of how she was going to motivate herself to confront Sakura.  But she never could.

_276._ (yesterday)

_I'm a monster.  I'm a monster.  I'm a monster.  Ino hurt Sakura, and I'm grateful for it.  Because of that, I was able to finally talk to her.  She's gay!  She kissed me!  But she also told me about what I suspected for years.  I'll fucking kill her!  I hate her!  FUCK THAT BITCH!  SHE NEEDS TO DIE!  I WILL STAB HER FUCKING EYES OUT!  NO I"LL RIP THEM OUT WITH MY OWN NAILS!  I'LL FEED THEM TO A DOG!  I'LL SLIT HER THROAT!  I'LL STAB HER OVER AND OVER!  FUCKING BITCH JUST DIE! DON'T YOU EVER HURT SAKURA YOU FUCKING WHORERGPIOMHIF{MRHD}GSKMH}SDSDRHGDHS_

_Okay.  I feel a little better.  Sakura made love to me.  Sakura made love to ME!  Then I tasted her pussy!  OH GOD!  I'm so happy I can almost forget about how I'LL FUCKING KILL THAT BITCH!!!_

Well.  That was intense.

It was just then that she remembered something:

_"Would you...kill her for me?"_

Hinata's face had went red.  _"S-Sakura!  Don't ask that of me!"_ Hinata had said.

That's how she said it, right?  She blushed.  She didn't deny it.  She knew exactly what to say like she had fantasized about it many times.

And it was just then that Sakura realized she was dating a girl who was halfway to yandere.

The doorknob shook.  Sakura closed the tab.

Hinata appeared, completely naked.

Sakura was dating a girl who was one bad day away from murdering someone, and she loved it.  This girl would kill for her.  _Just make sure she doesn't._

Hinata strutted over.  Her tits (they were even more glorious than Sakura had imaged) bounced until they pressed up against Sakura.  She took Sakura into her arms and looked up at her.  Sakura leaned down and kissed her.  "Take a shower, Sakura," she said, "I'll be waiting."


	7. Chapter 7

The warm water felt nice, but Sakura felt vulnerable.  The shower had glass, that kind that warps the view, but she could definitely see out into the spacious bathroom beyond.  The lighting was bright, though.  Hinata was right: a shower was a good idea.  There was dried blood to be washed away.

_"I'll protect you, Sakura."_

She brought some of her fingers to her lips.  Why was she so weak?  Why did those words feel so good?  So right?

 _"I'd torture her_ for you _.  Because you deserve better."_

She traced a finger around her lips, and up and down.

Why did she deserve better, though?  If she could love someone like Ino....

No.  Stop thinking that way.  She fell in love as a kid, and with someone who wasn't like  _that._ Just get over her.

But she couldn't.  What she had told Hinata was true.  A part of her would probably always be in love with Yamanaka Ino.  She was her only happy memories outside of her family.  These facts were torture.  Even if she spent the rest of her life with Hinata, she couldn't change the fact that Ino was her first friend.

Hinata, with her loving smile and eyes—she had looked so cute in her purple jacket.  The memory of her nose that had been a little red from the nipping wind as she handed Sakura hot chocolate made her heart prickle in the most desiring way again.

 _Hinata, I want to love you,_ she thought.  She brought a finger just underneath her labia.  _Only you._

_"Yeah, I'd kill her, for you."_

Those words had sounded so sweet, and remembering them with her clitoris, even sweeter.

But why had she asked Hinata to say them?  She didn't really want to hurt Ino.  Did Hinata?

The way she had rubbed into Sakura's neck and purred, the way she had said, "Well," as she stuck her hand down Sakura's skirt, "first, I'd stab her.  Maybe just once..."—why did Sakura find it so sexy?  She had felt Hinata's warm breath and the strange mixture of love and pleasure in her voice as she had said those words.  It was almost like a mother...no, it was a lover telling her love she'd always protect her.  Sakura started a silent cry.

She was about to come.  She was about to make herself come for the first time.  No, it was with Hinata's help.  _I love you, Hinata,_ she thought, and imagined how Hinata would grab her hands and tell her the same, looking up at her with that smile and little strip of white.

Sakura's knees shook and she walked backwards into the shower wall.  Hinata was the only thing on her mind.

She opened the door with one arm covering her chest.  Hinata was on her bed (the canopy shades were drawn open) gliding her fingers around her pussy.  When she saw Sakura, she raised her arms forward.

Sakura obliged and made her way over, still covering her chest.  She sat on the bed and Hinata crawled to her.  She wrapped her arms around Sakura and leaned her head against Sakura's cheek.  "Don't be shy," she said, placing a hand over Sakura's arm.  She tugged down on it, and Sakura finally exposed her breasts.

"I wish they were bigger," Sakura said.

Hinata nuzzled her face into Sakura's cheek.  She cupped one of Sakura's breasts and rubbed a finger against the nipple.  "I don't," she said, "I only wish for Sakura, and that she'll be happy with herself."

Sakura wiped her eyes.  "How can you be so nice to me after what I did to you?" she asked.

Hinata placed her hands on Sakura's cheeks and looked her in the eyes.  "You're not the one who is sick, Sakura," she said, "Ino is."  She kissed underneath each of Sakura's eyes. 

Sakura let out what could only be described as a small gasp.  Her lips trembled then she put them on Hinata's.  She stroked the back of Hinata's head and kissed her again and again.  "I love you, Hinata," she said.

"I love you, Sakura," Hinata said. Her eyes and lips reflected the sentiment. She planted kisses at the corners of Sakura's mouth.

"Hinata, I need to tell you something," Sakura said.

"What is it?" Hinata asked.  

"I used your toothbrush," Sakura said.

Hinata giggled.  "Good," she said.  She laid back against her pile of pillows.  Her eyes asked Sakura to follow her.  Hinata put her legs across Sakura's lap and rested her head against Sakura's chest.

"But...there's more.  I...I read your diary."

"My...diary?  Oh...oh, jeez...."

"I'm really sorry," Sakura said.  She looked down at the top of Hinata's head, wanting to touch her.  "It was just so obviously about me, and I couldn't help myself.  I had to know why you've liked me for so long.  Seven years...."

"It-it...didn't creep you out?"

"No."

Hinata turned her head and looked at Sakura.  Tears were running down her cheeks.  "Really?" she asked.

"Really.  But you don't _really_ want to _kill_ her, right?"

"N-no," Hinata said.

Sakura started to stroke Hinata's inner thigh.  Her fingers danced closer and closer to Hinata's pussy.  "Even if she hurt your precious Sakura?" she asked.

"S-Sakura?  N-no.  It's...it's wrong."

Sakura rubbed up and down Hinata's pussy and teased her vagina.  "Wrong?" she asked.  "What _is_ wrong?  What _is_ right?"

Hinata blushed.

"You'd kill her, wouldn't you?" Sakura asked.

Hinata glanced away.

"It's okay," Sakura said.  She pulled Hinata onto her so she was still facing sideways (her feet dangled off the edge of the bed) but was now sitting her ass on Sakura's lap.  Sakura stuck a finger inside of her.  "I think it's hot."  

Hinata's chest began to move up and down and she opened her mouth a little.  Her eyes were half open and she panted out, "You do?"

"Would you?" Sakura asked.  She started rubbing Hinata's clit with her thumb as she began fucking her faster.

"I would," Hinata said.  Her breathing picked up more and more.  "But I'm not a monster, Sakura.  Only to protect you.  I wouldn't murder her."  

Sakura caressed one of Hinata's breasts with her free hand.  "Then you really are perfect," she said as she pinched the nipple a little bit.  She brought the hand up to the back of Hinata's head and held her to her mouth.  She placed her teeth around Hinata's bottom lip.  Then she grazed her tongue against it, and Hinata met with hers.  "I'm sorry.  I couldn't do the same for you."

"That's okay, Sakura," Hinata said.  She moaned.  "I like that about you."  Her thighs began to shake.  She placed a hand over Sakura's wrist.  "Keep going.  Again.  Please.  Please fuck me again, Sakura."

"Of course," Sakura said.  She pulled her hand up.  "But I want to try something different."

"Oh?"  Hinata licked the corners of her lips.  "What do you want to do?" she asked.

"I want you on your hands and knees," Sakura said.

Hinata tilted her head, but did so. She crawled over Sakura and put a knee and hand to either side of Sakura's legs and lower body. She looked up at Sakura, their faces inches away, and asked, "Like this?"

"No," Sakura said, "turn around."

Hinata blushed.

"Now who's the shy one?"

Hinata turned herself around.  Sakura grabbed her by the thighs.  It was the first time she had seen an asshole in person.  It wasn't so bad, but it was what was underneath that she wanted.  It was also her first time seeing a pussy  _like this._   The way it curved up and down Hinata made her mouth water.  Sakura began to lick it.  She brought one hand under Hinata and played with her clit.  "I love your pussy, Hinata," she said and rubbed her face against it.  She felt the warmth and wetness move up and down her face a little, then press into her.

"Lay on the bed, Sakura," Hinata said.

Sakura did as she was told.  She felt Hinata's fingers play with her pussy, and she pulled Hinata back down onto her face and went to work again.  Hinata started using her mouth on Sakura.

"I'm going to come," Sakura said.

"Me too."

Sakura started to taste the tang she had been working for.  Hinata moaned and collapsed on top of her.  Sakura stared at the pussy that rested on her chest.  She laid her head back and relaxed her eyes.  "I love you, Hinata," she said.

"I love you, Sakura."

"Come here."

Hinata loomed over Sakura and looked down at her with nothing but affection.  Her hair fell to Sakura's chest and tickled it.  Then she laid on Sakura and brought the tips of her little fingers to Sakura's chin and slowly circled them around the edge of her lips.

"Marry me," Sakura said.

"S-Sakura!  Stop it!" Hinata said.  There was displeasure in her eyes.

"Hinata, be honest with me.  When I asked you earlier, how did you feel?"

"S-Sakura...?  Sakura, stop it...."

"Come on, Hinata.  Tell me.  Please."

"It would have been the happiest moment of my life if I didn't know you were only teasing."

"Well, I'm not teasing now.  Marry me, Hinata."

"Stop it...."

"I'm serious," Sakura said.  She lifted her head and smiled into Hinata's lips.  Hinata's cheek was warm as Sakura pushed down on Hinata's bottom lip with her thumb.  Hinata opened her mouth and Sakura tasted a new wave of sweet tang.  

"Yes," Hinata whispered.  "Yes.  Yes.  Yes."

"When?"

"Now.  Tonight.  As soon as possible."

"Hinata, we have school."

"Y-yes, you're right.  The weekend, then.  And we'll go on our Honeymoon during Spring Break."

"Sounds great."

"You're serious."

"I am."

"Live with me."

"What?"

"I'll ask daddy.  He'll say yes.  I've never disappointed him.  Live with me, Sakura." 

"Hinata...I think I want to stay at my house until I graduate."

"Th-that long?  But that's...a year and a half from now.  Why even get married?"

"Because I love you."

The corners of Hinata's lips pulled up.  "Okay," she said, "whatever you want." 

Sakura felt Hinata's little fingers glide down her cheek and curve under her chin as she looked up into her lover's eyes.  Hinata was showing that little strip of white between her smile.  Sakura brought her head up to meet Hinata's lips and pulled on the bottom one, gently, then tilted her head and kissed, again and again, savoring every flavor of soft lips and sweet saliva.  "Love you," she said.

Hinata got off of Sakura.  Her cheeks were red and eyes filled with desire.  She picked up her cellphone from the end table by her bed (there was an, of course, expensive looking lamp on it, too).  After she hit some buttons and put it down, she opened up a drawer and pulled out a pink dildo.  She turned to Sakura and grinned.  "We still have a half hour. Can I...?"

Sakura's eyes went wide.  "Um...I've never...how did you even get that?"

"I told you: Kakashi is great."

"You asked a grown man to buy you a dildo?"

"Asked?  No.  I handed him a check and told him to.  So, can I fuck you with her?"

"Her?"

Hinata blushed.  "Well, I guess I should probably change her name now," she said.  She watched Sakura for a while then giggled.

"O-okay," Sakura said, "be gentle."

"I'd never hurt you, Sakura," Hinata said.  She crawled over to Sakura and pushed her legs apart.  That grin came to her face again and she began to tease Sakura's pussy.  She put a finger in her vagina.  Once Sakura was good and wet again, she slid in a second.  Sakura put a hand to her face and started to move her hips.  A third went in.  Hinata pulled her fingers out and licked them.  "Mmmm, I want to taste deeper.  Ready to start?"

Sakura nodded.  As Hinata had promised, she went slow.

"Look how much you've taken.  Can I go deeper?"

Sakura nodded.  She felt it go in and out slowly, and slowly deeper.

"That's about as far as I can go.  I'm going to start _really_ fucking you now, okay?"

"Yes, fuck me, please."

And Hinata did.  She started slow, then faster and faster.

"Oh, God," Sakura moaned.

"Is it good, baby?" Hinata asked.

"Y-yes.  I'm going to come."

"Come for me, baby."

"I will...I will..." Sakura said, "I'm coming.  Oh, Hinata!"  Sakura laid on her back, spent and heaving.

Hinata pulled the dildo out of Sakura.  Her cheeks went red and she brought it to the side of her mouth and rubbed it against her face, licking it.  "This is what love smells like, Sakura," she said.

"Hinata," Sakura huffed, "Hinata, you're weird."

"But it is, Sakura.  You'll have to try it on me sometime."

"Well," she huffed, "of course."

"Sakura?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't get very sweaty."

"Oh," Sakura said.  She wiped her brow. "I guess things change. You still had a good time?"

Hinata crawled on top of Sakura and looked down. She grinned. "An amazing time, my love," she said.

Sakura tasted Hinata's lips, then more. She loved how she couldn't tell where she ended and Hinata began.

After supper, which was great (Hinata flirted with the food the whole time—the food was great, too), Hinata excused herself, telling Sakura, "Wait here."  Sakura sat alone at the table.  The rest of Hinata's family had eaten earlier.  It felt strange to not meet them, but would have been stranger to do so, considering she had just came three times in their house and fucked their daughter a couple.  And proposed to her.  She was going to have to talk to Hinata about how to deliver that news.

Hinata returned with a couple small boxes.  She opened one of them to reveal a rather large diamond ring.  Sakura felt her chest tighten and heavy air fill her lungs.  "Can I put it on you?" Hinata asked.

Sakura nodded.  She felt Hinata's soft fingers take her hand.  Sakura's heart raced as she stared at this girl she...she loved.  She should have been scared, but she wasn't.  Hinata slid the ring onto Sakura's finger then put her own on.  "H-Hinata...."

"Sakura."

They leaned close to one another and held each other, then kissed.

At home, Sakura ran into her mother.

"I'm getting married to Hinata this weekend," Sakura said.

"That's nice, honey," her mother said, "wait, what?"


	8. Chapter 8

"So, I'll see you after class?" Hinata asked.  She wore a warm face and a blue coat as she held Sakura's hand.  Sakura could feel the band of the ring on Hinata's finger and the love in her eyes.  "We can have lunch together?"

"Of-of course!" Sakura said.  Her chest tingled.  She leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Hinata's lips.  Then she felt metal against her cheek and saw Hinata's diamond.  Hinata leaned back in and took Sakura passionately, but only briefly.  Sakura wanted to feel Hinata's warmth longer and said, "I love you."

"I love you," Hinata said.  Her hand grazed down Sakura's cheek then her fingers cupped Sakura's.  Sakura let her arm extend as far as possible as she watched Hinata get further away.  Their fingertips kissed one another's then parted.

Her perfect little love disappeared behind students.  Sakura put a hand to her chest and looked at the diamond on the other.  What had she done to deserve this?  What was her mother and father going to think of Hinata?  They'd love her if the circumstances weren't so dramatic, she was sure.

"Sakura," _that voice_ came from behind her. 

Sakura wanted to jump, to run, to do _something_ , but she couldn't.  She continued to look at her promise and pretended she didn't hear anything.

"Sakura, please turn around," Ino said.  Her voice was...it didn't have the anger, or whatever that false passion was, but was normal—if not a little sad.  "I want to apologize."

Sakura looked at Ino's face.  She seemed depressed.  She even glanced away after Sakura looked her in the eyes.

"I went too far, Sakura," Ino said.  She brought a hand to her mouth.  "I don't know why I did it.  I'm so sorry, Sakura."

Sakura's heart leapt, but then she steeled herself.  "Ino, you went too far long before then," she said.  Ino flinched.  "You really hurt me.  I loved you."

"Loved?" Ino asked.  She looked over Sakura.  "What's...what's that on your hand?"

Sakura lifted her hand up.  "It's what you think," she said.

Ino tilted her head and raised a brow.  "Sakura, that's crazy," she said, "you've only know her, what, a couple days?"

"So what?  I love her."

Ino's eyes drooped.  "Do you hate me, Sakura?" she asked.

"N-no, Ino," Sakura said, "I could never hate you."

"Do you...do you love me?"

Sakura glanced away.  She shouldn't have said it.  She should have lied.  Sakura looked Ino in the eyes and said, "I'll always love you."

Ino smiled, but the sadness remained in her eyes.  "Let's talk after class?" she asked.

"I'm going to be with Hinata at lunch."

"After school?"

"I'm going to watch Hinata play tennis."

"Do you have to be there right away?"

She should have lied.  But it wasn't in her nature, especially with this girl.  "Okay, Ino.  Five minutes."

"Thank you, Sakura," Ino said.  Her eyes glinted like a reformed star.  "I'll...I'll see you...?" she asked.

"Outside the locker room?"

Ino nodded and walked into class.

Sakura followed her.  Ino's friend came forward and looked like she was about to say something, but Ino put a hand on her shoulder.  "Leave her alone," she said.  The girl made a face then shrugged.

Maybe Ino was serious and Sakura would get to have a normal life for once.  Well, as normal as a soon-to-be-wed gay sixteen-year-old could be.  But, she wasn't an idiot, either.  She had an idea of what Ino was going to do.  Would she flip again if Sakura turned her down?  Something about the way Ino acted made Sakura believe in her.  Ino would have to be a truly manipulative bitch or just plain crazy to go back to how she was after realizing she didn't want to be terrible.  She didn't think Ino was either of those things.  The whole time they had been friends, Ino had been nice and looked out for her.  Actually, she was a lot like Hinata back then.  Did Hinata scare her straight?

Eating lunch with people who actually wanted her to be there was blissful if not scary at first.  She sat by Hinata, holding her hand under the table whenever she got the chance.  Hinata was a lot like she was with Sakura around these girls (most of them were on the tennis team, too).  She made lewd jokes whenever any of the girls brought up boys, and she'd sometimes make similar jokes about girls.  It caused a moment of silence the first time (because they knew what she was now?), but then Tenten laughed, and so did some others.  Hinata was blushing, then smiled.

"That's a fucking huge ring," Temari said.  Sakura didn't know this girl well, and like Tenten, she was a senior.  She transferred last year and made a quick name for herself in the girl's singles.  

Sakura glanced down at it.  "I guess," she said, "but that doesn't really matter."

Hinata nudged Sakura in the neck with her head.  "Aw, c'mon, you love it," she said.

"I do," Sakura said.  She held it up.  "By the way, Hinata, I've been wondering how he knew my size."

"Kakashi can see any hand once and instantly know the size of any finger," Hinata said.

"You're fucking with me."

"No way.  They don't call him the Butler of a Thousand Trivial Skills for nothing."

"C'mon, you're fucking with me."

"Don't you know?" Tenten asked, "Kakashi is great!"

"You know him too?" Sakura asked.

"Of course.  He brings us drinks during matches then serves us some tea and biscuits afterwards."

Sakura looked at Temari, who shrugged.  "I've seen it," Temari said, "can't say I get it, though."

"That's not all he's done for you," Hinata said.  She smirked at Tenten. 

Tenten went red.  "D-don't you dare, Hinata," she said.

"Oh, c'mon, we're all girls here."

Sakura tweaked a brow.  "Don't tell me she made Kakashi buy you a pink dildo too," she said.

Tenten's face somehow grew more red.  "It's not pink..." she said.

Snorts escaped Sakura.

"I actually got her two," Hinata said, "did you ever get up to that ten-inch one?"

"Hinata!" Tenten said.

Sakura pushed her lunch tray forward and fell onto the table laughing.  "I fucking," she laughed, "love you," she laughed, "Hinata."

Hinata chuckled.  "What's with that face, Temari?" she asked, "want me to get you one, too?"

"N-no!" Temari said.

Sakura sat up to see a beat red Temari across from her.

"Besides, I can buy one for myself in a few months...."

Sakura waved bye to Hinata then waited in front of the locker room.  She had struggled with whether or not to tell Hinata about Ino, but ultimately concluded it was probably best that she didn't.  Within little time, the area was left clear (everyone either went into the locker room or left for home).  Ino showed up a few minutes after that, walking towards Sakura.  She glanced away a few times and looked like she would turn back at any moment.  When she got to Sakura, she stopped in front of her, and the two said nothing for what felt like ages.  Ino kept looking away from Sakura's eyes.

"C'mon Ino, this isn't like you," Sakura said.  She tried to offer Ino a smile, but the conflicting feelings told her something probably wasn't right about her face.

Ino shut her eyes and took a deep breath.  Then she slowly shook her head to one side, brought it back and opened her eyes.  She stepped forward.  "Sakura, I-I, I'm so sorry," she said, "can you ever forgive me?"

Sakura glanced off.  She should have lied, but this was  _her_ Ino.  Whatever had happened, she just knew.  "Yeah," she said.

Ino smiled and brought a hand up to Sakura's bangs.  Her wrist smelled like the perfume Sakura loved.  Ino brushed some bangs aside and said, "You still have that beautiful forehead, you know?"  Those beautiful blue eyes shimmered.  It was the same shimmer as back then.  

_"Don't worry about it.  They're stupid.  Too busy trying to find someone to hurt to realize how it brings out your face.  You're going to be so pretty, Sakura, I promise."_

"Ino..." Sakura said.  She knew a weakness Hinata didn't.  Sakura's chest wouldn't stop expanding.  The air was heavy.  Her heart was going crazy and driving her crazy, too.

Ino caressed Sakura's cheek.  "Do you remember our first kiss?" she asked.  She brought her other hand to Sakura's hip.

"Of course," Sakura said.  They were just kids.  It was innocent.  Just experimenting.  If Sakura even had _those_ feelings yet, she wasn't aware of them.  She glided her fingers up and down Ino's forearm.  Her lips were so close, and God how they shined a sweet red.  She tried to think about Hinata, but there was a warm bliss that made her head feel funny.

"We were really stupid back then, huh?" Ino asked.  She glanced down.  "And I only became stupider."

Sakura remembered the many different faces of Ino she had burned into her memory.  She had been so nice, so cheerful, and always smiling and laughing with Sakura.  She remembered the moment she knew she was in love with Ino.  Sakura felt her lips tremble and her eyes fill with water.  "Why did you leave me?" she asked, "I loved you so much."  Two silent streams started to make their way down to her chin.

Ino's eyes looked like they'd let go at any second.  She wrapped her arms around Sakura and cried over her shoulder.  Sakura held Ino to her.  "Because I'm in love with you," Ino said.  Her crying became loud, the kind that feels like one will choke on their own air.  Sakura felt Ino's hands grasp her like she was trying to get closer than she could.  "I was so scared.  I thought if I pushed you away the feelings would leave, too.  But they didn't.  No matter how awful I treated you, I couldn't stop loving you.  I fucked up.  I fucked up so badly.  I'm so sorry."

Sakura stopped crying and let out a breath that made her throat shudder.  Ino pulled back and they stared into each other's souls.  Then she moved closer, and her gold heart earrings (they were just an outline) shook.  There was a timidity to her eyes that Sakura had never seen before.  "Can I kiss you?  For the first time, again?" she asked.

Sakura wrapped an arm around Ino's waist then the other under Ino's arm and up to her head.  She held it and moved forward.  Ino's lips tasted so good, this way and that, and the feeling it gave Sakura, she wouldn't say it was better than Hinata, but it ran deeper, to a place that Hinata couldn't compete with.  Ino's kisses came with warm memories that washed away anything bad Sakura had ever felt.  The resent release of tears made it feel even better.  Ino pressed her again the wall.  Their teeth let tongues slip by and explore each other's mouth.  They parted, both breathing heavily.  Ino looked like some sexual goddess with her face all red and her eyes half open.  There was a magnetism about her that Sakura just didn't feel with Hinata.  She stroked the side of Ino's head and caught a glimpse of her promise.  Hinata was kind and funny and Sakura loved to fuck her.  Was this magnetism she felt for Ino just a result of a sudden explosion of emotion created by years of tension?  Was it a chase for the fleeting past?  She had felt drawn to Hinata, just not this intensely.  If she confused the cause of these emotions, she was going to lose someone who made her feel great and had never hurt her.  "Ino..." Sakura said, "I'm sorry, but you're too late." 

Ino began to cry again.  "Please don't say that, Sakura," she said, "please...I know you feel it, too.  This is love, Sakura." 

Would someone who really loved her hurt her so much?  Hinata never would, but Ino wasn't Hinata.  She didn't know the answer, so she didn't ask.

"Just give the ring back," Ino said.  Her eyes begged.  "That's all you have to do.  You've only been together for two days.  Two days!"

"I need to go, Ino," Sakura said.  Maybe Ino was right, but leaving was the only rational decision she could make right now.

"Think about it," Ino said.

Sakura glanced back.  Ino wiped her eyes.  Sakura couldn't lie, so she nodded. 


	9. Chapter 9

Sakura sighed as she watched Hinata hit the ball to Tenten.  "All warmed up?" Tenten asked.  Hinata nodded and the two paired up and started practicing against two other girls.

Now that Ino was away, Sakura felt the weight of her situation.  Ino had her in her hands, and she had to tell Hinata.  She looked at the ring and let out some more heavy air.  Control had only happened because of this thing, but that in of itself couldn't be good, right?  What was this thing?  Window dressing?  A promise?  A symbol of love?  A reminder?  Of what?  Right now it felt like a reminder that she was in love with Ino, not Hinata.  Hinata had lied to her.  She  _is_ fucked up.  So was Ino, but that was okay.  Ino may have made her that way, but she couldn't change what she was, and they could be fucked up together.  Sakura should hate Ino for what she had done.  She had tried to many times throughout the years.  But Ino had been just as kind to her for just as many years she had been a monster.  It was worth it.  Being alone in high school was horrible, but being alone as a little kid would have been worst.  It didn't matter if she didn't get together with Ino.  The point was, she now was starting to understand the difference between love, friendship and lust (if only she had something to compare it to sooner).  How was she going to tell Hinata?  Should she just stay with her and hope the feelings for Ino would go away?  Would that allow her to love Hinata in a proper way?  Was staying with Hinata love?  She thought she'd be happy if only she could forget Ino.

Sakura watched Hinata in motion, swinging the racket at the ball.  Her arm appeared completely stopped for just a moment after she hit it.  She really was beautiful, and it wasn't just her looks.  Hinata meant what she said, Sakura believed.  But, if that was the case, how could Hinata love her?  She had known so little before she started viewing her that way.  The diary was pretty clear about it (well, at least she wasn't a stalker).  Hinata just saw her as damaged goods that needed to be saved.  That was fucked up, but it was what she was.  Was Hinata fucked up, too?  Or was lust that one held kindly the purest form of love?  Something about that felt right, but something about the way Ino made her feel felt even more right.  Dating Ino was the only way to know what love is.

Kissing Ino earlier flashed through her mind and heart.  And then, she didn't want to date Ino.  That had been enough. 

Sakura stood up and cupper her hands around her mouth.  "Looking good, Hinata!" she said.  Hinata glanced at her and smiled.  Yes, she would love this girl and stay with her. 

Sakura sat down and then...fuck.  Ino crept back into her mind.  She wanted them both.  It was stupid, but she really did forgive Ino.  No, she didn't even blame her.  Well, it did make her angry that she hit Hinata.  But that anger, she realized, made her want Ino more.  Sakura glanced around, scared that someone had heard her thoughts.  She now understood just how scarred she really was.  The only way to fix herself was to stay away from Ino, but she couldn't, and she didn't want to.  It wasn't wrong to want to fuck her, just sick.  It wasn't even stupid, either.  Wait, why was she thinking these things at all? 

Sakura pulled out her cellphone and started reading.  It made sense.  She had developed a complex she had no control over.  Maybe it would be stupid to act on those feelings, but it would make her feel good.  In a way, that would be normal for her.  All she had to do was ignore all the warning signs that the website was saying would lead to unhealthy behavior, and she could feel good and normal, right now.

She looked over Hinata.  She was perfect, but Ino really did know Sakura much better.  They shared something twisted together.  She dialed some numbers.  It was ringing.

"Hello?" said a familiar voice.  Good, she still knew Ino's house phone.

"Mr. Yamanaka?  It's Sakura," she said.

"Sakura?  Well, this is a surprise.  How have you been?"

"Fine, sir.  Can you give me Ino's cell number?"

"Okay.  Do you need help?"

"No, just her number."

Her chest was heaving as the phone rang.  There was a lovely sickness in her heart.  She was going to cheat on Hinata.  She didn't want to, but she didn't care.  This feeling was too good.  "Hello?" Ino asked.

"Ino, do you love me?" Sakura asked, "right now?"

"Sakura?  What's going on?"

"Just answer the question."

"Yeah, Sakura.  I do."

"Want to love me even more?"

"What?"

"Let's fuck."

"...Yes."

"Pick me up outside the gym."

"Turning around right now."

Sakura watched Hinata for a couple more minutes, then got up and walked towards the door.

"Sakura?" Hinata yelled.  She did again.

Sakura heard footsteps coming up behind her.  It felt so good.  She was going to fuck Ino, and...Hinata would be...devastated. 

Outside the gym, alone in the hall, Hinata's fingers wrapped around her forearm.  "Sakura?  Where are you going?" she asked. 

She looked down into Hinata's wide eyes.  Just say it.  Have some guts.  Don't turn back.  "I'm going to fuck Ino," she said.

Hinata looked like she didn't hear Sakura, then she tilted her head.  "Wha...what are you saying?" she asked.

"I don't deserve you, Hinata," Sakura said, "you lied to me.  I know it wasn't to hurt me, so I don't care."

Hinata's face twisted in anguish.  "What did I lie about?" she asked.

Sakura took Hinata's hand.  "I'm sick, Hinata," she said.  She dropped the ring in Hinata's palm.  "I'm going to be with someone who also is."

"Sakura, don't say that."

"It's true, Hinata!"

"She made you that way!"

"So, you finally admit it?  What am I to you?  Some pet project?"

"No!" Hinata said.  Tears started to fall.  "Stop it, Sakura, please.  You're hurting me."

"I don't want to hurt you Hinata, that's why I have to.  Be rid of me."

"Sakura, don't you understand what she's done to you?"

"I do.  She's made me fucked up, and I don't care."

"Sakura...she raped you.  You understand that, right?"

Sakura's chest tightened.  "She didn't!" she said, "a girl can't rape another girl!"

Hinata took both of Sakura's hands.  "She did, Sakura," she said.

"N-no!  She didn't!  I wanted it!"  Sakura's felt her knees disappear.  Hinata threw her arms around her and helped hold her up.  "I...I...wanted it," she said.  She couldn't choke back the sounds of crying, and she let go into Hinata's shoulder.

"There was no way to consent there," Hinata said.  She stroked the back of Sakura's head.  "I love you, Sakura."  Hinata was crying, too.

Sakura tried so hard to hold back those pathetic sounds.  But she couldn't, so she just held onto Hinata and tried to focus on her warmth.  "But I asked her to," she said.

"She made you ask.  She had just physically hurt me.  She said what you wanted to hear, but you still wouldn't say yes.  So, she told you to say it, again and again."

"I...I raped her?"  _that_ voice said.

Sakura tried to turn towards the voice, but Hinata tightened her arms around her.  She stayed in Hinata's arms.  It was nice that Hinata would take care of her.

"You did," Hinata said.  She couldn't hide the anger.

"I didn't...it wasn't..."

"It doesn't matter what your intentions were."

Sakura heard something fall and what sounded like tile being smacked.  Then crying.  She went to leave Hinata's arms again, but Hinata tightened her grip.

"You're not going to just go and tell her you forgive her," Hinata said, "I won't allow it."

"But she's sick and hurting," Sakura said.

"So what?  So were you.  You didn't rape anybody."

The crying grew louder.

Why couldn't she see Ino for what she was?  Why did she still love her?  "What's wrong with me?" Sakura asked, "what am I?"  

Hinata loosened her arms.  Sakura looked her in the eyes.  The anger disappeared from Hinata's face, and she brushed a hand against Sakura's cheek.  Then she took Sakura's hand and stroked her fingers.  She raised the ring and put it back on her.  "You're my wife," Hinata said.  


	10. Chapter 10

"Come with me, my love," Hinata said.  She had her head at an angle and smiled for Sakura.  Something untouchable reflected in her eyes.  Was it joy?  Sadness?F  Anger?  Sakura?  Something else?  Hinata lifted up both of Sakura's hand's and let them rest atop her palms.  

The tranquility Sakura felt disappeared when she could no longer ignore Ino's sobs again.  She glanced past Hinata at a blank white wall.  "You need to get back to practice," she said.

"No.  I'll text Tenten in the car.  Let's go, Sakura."

Sakura wanted to turn and tell Ino she forgave her, but something about Hinata's face held her.  The white wall, it wasn't solid, but was raised by paint.  Between the lines—the undefined borders—she saw what looked like enormous gates (there were houses underneath).  Maybe it was a bridge connecting two towers.  But those houses—were they on fire?  What did these thoughts mean?  Nothing.   _Nothing_.  It was stupid to think God was sending her a sign.  Sakura had always seen a bunch of nonsense in patterns.  The problem was that she'd get attached to them and try to find some reason for them being there, without ever considering that perhaps it was all just in her own head.  Like whatever was in Hinata's eyes, maybe it was only her who saw it.  Now she understood.  It wasn't a message from God, but rather her own mind.  Like stopping to help a stranger, this was a moment that would define who she was.  After everything she had been through, every wrong choice she and Ino had made, she didn't know if telling Ino she forgave her would hurt or help them.  She turned so she was looking forward with Hinata and took her hand.  The two started to walk by Ino.

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Ino said, sniffing and choking on air.  "I'm so sorry."

Sakura stopped in front of Ino and looked down on her.  Ino looked so worn and pathetic it hurt.  She sat on the floor against the wall with her arms hugging her knees to her chest.  Her face was smudged with black tears (some dried).  She looked up at Sakura, her lips quivering.  "Get help," Sakura said.

Ino buried her face in her knees and cried.

Sakura looked at Hinata then moved away from her.  She leaned down and put a hand on Ino's shoulder.  Ino gasped and lifted her head.  "Get help, and I'll forgive you," Sakura said, "okay?"

Ino looked away.  Some sounds escaped her mouth.  Were they words?

In Hinata's car, Sakura slouched in her seat and leaned her head against the window.  Hinata was on her phone.

"Are you going to be okay?" Hinata asked.

"I wish you didn't call it that," Sakura said.  She looked at some parked cars.  Ford.  Toyota.  Didn't know that one.  She sighed and let her cheek sink into her hand.

"If you saw what I did—"

Sakura turned to Hinata.  "Saw?" she asked.  

Hinata dropped her head.  "I'm sorry," she said.  She put a hand on Sakura's thigh and looked into her eyes.  "How did it make you feel?"

"Well..."  Honda.  Chevy.  BMW.  "I wanted it.  You're right.  Her words made me happy.  I knew I shouldn't believe them.  I knew she was trying to upset you.  I was terrified of hurting you.  But I wanted it.  If you weren't there, I would have taken her with hardly a second thought.  But you were, and I was scared for you.  She violated me, threatened me, you, but she is Ino, and as stupid as it is, I love her, and if she had said those words to me alone, true or not...."  She couldn't complete her thought.

Hinata looked off and was silent for a while.  She ran a hand through her long dark hair, stopping behind the ear.  Sakura was getting anxious.  Hinata's lavender eyes met with hers and she said, "I'm glad you considered my feelings.  I don't think it's stupid to love someone."

"Even through all the abuse?"

"You loved her as a childhood friend before you had romantic feelings for her.  That's deep.  On top of it, she wouldn't leave you alone.  How could you possibly forget her?"

Sakura felt the glass again and looked out at the school in the distance.  "I could have been stronger," she said.

Hinata rubbed Sakura's thigh.  "You're plenty strong," she said.  "In a twisted way, she gave you endurance.  A lot of people would be more broken than you are."

"That's not true, Hinata.  She's a girl.  It wasn't much.  I didn't even try to fight.  I'm just a coward."

"It doesn't matter, Sakura.  For whatever reason, you didn't want it, and that was obvious, but she still touched you in a most inappropriate way."

"I think she honestly didn't see it that way."

Hinata sighed.  "Sakura," she said, "she violated you.  You were crying.  She might not have been totally aware of what it was, but she knew what she was doing.  She was being malicious to hurt you through me, and the only way she could accomplish that was to get you to say yes, even though you didn't mean it."

Hinata's eyes made Sakura's chest hurt.  Everything she was saying sounded true.  Sakura wasn't even sure if she would have really wanted it before Ino had confessed her feelings.  The thought that the abuse warped a layer over herself that would accept it was seeming more and more plausible.  She dug deep and looked at herself.  She saw her knees give out.  "You're right, Hinata," Sakura said.

"Sakura?"

"Even though my body wanted it, and under the right circumstances, so would both my heart and mind...Ino...."

"It's okay, Sakura."

"Ino...."

Hinata got as close to the edge of her seat as possible.  She reached over and gently took Sakura's hand.  "Say it, if you need to," she said.

Sakura felt tears running after her chin.  Hinata brought a finger underneath one eye then the other.  "Ino...Ino raped me," she said.  The words still didn't sound right.  How could Ino rape her?  She waited awhile, watching Hinata watch her.  She felt something coming, and she took a deep breath.  Good.  No, her eyes became heavy.  The valve broke, and a violent cry overtook her.  Hinata leaned forward and grabbed her into her arms.  "B-but, I-I w-won't call h-her a rape...rapist," Sakura whispered. 

Hinata entangled her fingers down through Sakura's.  She lifted herself to look at Sakura again and leaned her forehead against hers.  "As long as you're going to be okay, that is all that matters," she said. 

"I will," Sakura sniffed, "I'll be okay."  She wiped her eyes and Hinata went into the center console.  She offered a tissue to Sakura.  Hinata was perfect.  She really knew exactly what to say to make Sakura feel better.  "I need to tell you something," Sakura said.  Hinata nodded.  "Ino confessed her feelings to me.  We cried.  We kissed."

Hinata narrowed her brows.  "She confessed her feelings?" she asked, "and you believed her?"

"Yes.  I _do_.  She said she was scared of them and tried to push me away, but she couldn't stop loving me."

"That's...probably true..." Hinata said.  She sighed and her face shifted to worry.  "You want to be with her?"

She did, but it was another one of those moments.  She'd change her destiny.  "No," Sakura said, "I want to be with you."  Well, that was true, too.  And she didn't want to hurt Hinata.  Maybe that was enough.  Maybe with something like this, it didn't matter what she felt.  

Hinata smiled and brushed Sakura's hair out of her eyes.  "Let's go to your place, okay?" she asked.

They were supposed to be going to Sakura's so Hinata could meet her parents, but right now, she didn't want that.  "No.  Hinata...I think we need to wait to get married."

"Oh, of course," Hinata said.  She tried to hold her smile.  "Take your time."

"It's just...I don't feel like...I don't feel like we're equals.  I need to let these feelings settle."

"Of course, but what makes you think that?"

"Hinata...you're wrong about me.  I am weak.  Before you found me, I had resolved myself to...to kill myself.  I probably wouldn't really of done it, but I'm weak, Hinata."

Hinata's face dropped.  "Oh.  I see," she said.  Sakura felt her eyes leave.  "That explains a lot.  I'm really glad I talked to you."  She smiled at Sakura.  "We're equals, Sakura.  Take your time to feel that way, but we are."

"How can you be so certain?  You're an angel, Hinata.  I'm nothing like you."

Hinata planted a soft kiss on Sakura's lips.  "You're my angel, Sakura," she said.

"H-Hinata, how can you say that?  You've done so much for me, yet all I've done is show how capable of leaving I am."

"That's not true, Sakura.  You've done a lot for me.  Because of you, I was able to understand my feelings at an early age.  I'm really grateful.  I thought I was going to have to wait until college before I got to touch a girl."

"That's it?  I had sex with you?"

"It's more than you think it is," Hinata said.  She leaned close and pressed her lips to Sakura's again, briefly.  "And more to it." 

Sakura caressed Hinata's cheek.  There was a heat in her eyes.  "Oh?  Tell me," Sakura said.

"Well, we've only been together for a few days, yet I trust you.  You could of lied to me earlier and said you were going to the bathroom or something."

"I don't want to hurt you," Sakura said, "that's all."

"No.  You're not just saying it.  You're trying to figure out the best way not to while combating yourself.  We've only just met, yet you're trying to change yourself for me."

"Because of you."

Hinata smiled.  "See it how you want, but you're my angel."

Sakura slid her hand to the back of Hinata's head.  She brought her lips close.  Hinata opened her mouth and Sakura took in the warmth and smell of Hinata's breath.  Peaches, again.  Why?  Oh well.  Her tongue tasted good.

"Let's go to your place," Sakura said.

"Oh?"

"Yeah.  Let's watch some anime?"

"Anime?"  Hinata's face went red.

"You're embarrassed that you like anime?"

"N-no!" Hinata said.  She sat straight in her seat and started the car.  "Oh, wait."  She took out her cellphone.  "Texting Kakashi that you'll be over again.  You should probably call your mom, no?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Sakura said.  She took out her cell and went to the address log.  "Mom?  Yeah.  I was just calling to tell you that I'm going to actually go to Hinata's tonight.  Yeah.  I will.  I will.  No, we decided to wait.  Yeah, probably.  Gotta go.  Love you too."  

"What'd she say?"

"To do my homework and that I should probably tell my dad I'm gay before getting married to a girl."

Hinata laughed and looked at Sakura like she was a fool.  Sakura frowned.  "Oh, come on, I'm only teasing," Hinata said.  "Your mom is right, though."

"Ch', whatever," Sakura said, "mom says dad is in denial.  Maybe it'd better (sure would be funny) if I just came home married one day."  She watched Hinata drive.

"Denial?  Why are we always the last to know? (can you put your seatbelt on?)"

"Pffft, we've both known for years," Sakura said.  She belted up with a sigh.

"Yeah, I guess that wasn't a good joke.  How do you think they figured it out?"

"Probably because I talk about how hot female movie stars are."

Hinata smirked.  "Ah.  And your dad probably thinks that's just how girls talk, eh?"

"I guess.  He should realize by now that I've never had a boyfriend or even talked about boys or men."

Hinata raised her shoulders.  "Do you think your kids would talk to you about that stuff?" she asked.

"I'd try to raise my kids to, yeah.  My mom and I are pretty open, at least," Sakura said.  It was mostly true, if one overlooked the whole Ino thing.

"You want children?" Hinata asked.  Her face was red, and Sakura felt herself become a mirror.  

"Yeah, someday.  You?"

"Haven't really thought about it," Hinata said as she watched the road.

"Oh...."

"Would it be a problem if I didn't?"

"I'm in no rush...."

"But, what if I never did?"  Hinata asked.  She glanced at Sakura.

"Well, until I have children, I guess you'd be the most important thing in my life, so as long as I love you, I guess it wouldn't matter."

Hinata smiled.  "That's a good answer," she said, "I hope it remains true."

Woah.  She was talking about children with this girl.  Was this what it meant to be married?  What had she thought it was?  Sakura looked at the ring.  A show of love?  A promise?  No, it was more than those.  A commitment.   _A commitment._   Yes, she had decided that she would stay with Hinata (but her concept of that was dubious at best—forever seemed both like tomorrow and like she'd never die). What did that really mean?  The rest of her life, however long that would be...it felt so romantic.  She knew this, and she accepted all it meant, except one thing: did she want to experience other girls first?  She...did.  But, why should it matter?  She loved sex with Hinata (even though they had only done it a little, and there were some strange circumstances around them).  Would a different girl really be that different?  Better?  Was it these thoughts that would decide the answers?

"Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something and you'll be honest with me?"

"Yeah, Sakura...."

"Can you really see yourself with only me for the rest of your life?   _Only me?_ "

Hinata went silent.  Finally, she said, "If I continue to love you, then yes, I can.  Why?"

Sakura felt her teeth on her bottom lip.  She really wasn't where Hinata was.  Was that a surprise?  She would have fucked Ino just to prove something to herself.  "I..." she said.  Maybe she should just lie, but Hinata should know this.  "I'm worrying I'm not ready to make that commitment.  I mean, I just had sex for the first time.  Am I ready to not experience others?"  

"Oh.  I don't know, are you?" Hinata asked.  Her eyes narrowed at the road, but not with anger.

"Why do you want to marry me?"

"I think it'd feel really nice to be married to you."

They pulled up to Hinata's front gates.  The large metal contraptions parted on their own.  Down the long driveway, Hinata parked her car in the garage.  Kakashi was, of course, waiting for them at the door (someone must monitor the gates or something).  

"Little Miss, Sakura," he said and bowed.  "Do you require anything?"

"Yes, Kakashi," Hinata said.  She went into her backpack and pulled out some cloth.  "One of my tennis skirts tore when I pulled it out of my locker."  She showed him the tear.

Kakashi took it from Hinata then pulled out a sewing kit.  In about five seconds he handed it back to Hinata.

"You're rich," Sakura said, "why not just buy another one?"

Hinata held the skirt up to Sakura.  She turned it all around.  "See?" she asked.

"See what?" Sakura asked.

"Exactly!" Hinata said.  She smiled.  "Can't even tell it was ever torn."

"Anything else, Little Miss?" Kakashi asked.

"Hmm, yes.  My car sounded funny today."

Kakashi saluted and ran off into the garage.  Sakura raised a brow.  "Well, should we...?" she started to ask, but in a few seconds, Kakashi was back.

"There was just some loose shit in the radiator," Kakashi said, "anything else?"

"No, that'll be all," Hinata said.  She smiled.  "Thank you, Kakashi.  Just call us when dinner is ready.  We'll be doing homework."

"Very good."  He bowed to Hinata then Sakura and disappeared into the mansion.  

Sakura turned to Hinata and quirked a brow.  "Just some loose shit in the radiator?" she asked.

"Yeah, I never understood what the fuck he was talking about, so I told him to cut the details and tell me what shit was going down," Hinata said.

Sakura made a face and shook her head.  "Alright.  Well, when you said he knew a bunch of trivial skills—"

"A thousand, not a bunch."

"Okay, well, I mean, fixing a car in less than a minute and sewing a skirt in a few seconds...I think that's a little better than trivial.  And his perception...jeesh, why is he working for you and not MI6 or something?"

"Well, that's because his family has butled (is that a word?) for ours for generations."

"(No, it's not) next you're going to tell me you're a vigilante by night."

Hinata's eyes went wide.  She got very close to Sakura, glared and said, "Don't.  Tell.  Anyone."

"H-Hinata?"

Hinata smiled and tapped Sakura on the nose.  "C'mon, let's get our homework done," she said.

After homework, they ate (Hinata and Sakura ate alone again). 

"Sakura, are you okay?" Hinata asked at the dinner table.

"Y-yeah."

"You're staring off a lot.  Do you want me to take you home?"

"No!" Sakura said,  "I want to spend time with you.  It's..."   _Making me feel better._ "Nice."  She watched Hinata eat, but tried not to stare, and soon enough, they were done. 

"So, what did you want to watch?" Hinata asked.  She opened cabinet doors to reveal a six-foot tall collection of DVDs and Blue-rays.  Now the stool over there made sense.

"I dunno, anything, I guess," Sakura said.  She sat down on Hinata's bed.  "One of your favorites?"

"Do you watch anime?" Hinata asked.

"I've seen some...."

"Oh, uh...okay, whatever, we don't even need to finish an episode if you don't like it," Hinata said.  She pulled something out and went to the Blue-ray.  She grabbed a remote and sat down next to Sakura.

Not five minutes into the show there was a decapitation and arms flying everywhere (well, maybe not quite, but there were ridiculous blood splatters).  "Well, this is violent," Sakura said.

"Yeah.  Wanna watch something else?"

"No, I'll see it to the end."

At the end of the episode Hinata asked, "well?"

"I really wouldn't have taken that as your type of thing."

"I like a lot of stuff.  What did you expect?"

"I dunno.  Maybe something smutty.  Something girly."

"There's not a lot of anime smut that I'd be into," Hinata said.  She chuckled.  "Do I come off as girly to you?"

Sakura glanced around Hinata's pink and frilly room.  "Um, yeah, kind of," she said.

"Oh, c'mon, it's just my favorite color and style.  Eh, so, you wanna try something else?"

"Sure," Sakura said.

Hinata put in another disc.  "Are you interested in anime?" she asked.

Sakura shrugged.  "I never really had much of a reason to watch any, but it's nice to do something with you," she said.

Hinata's lips went wide.  She hit play.  "This is one of my favorite rom-coms.  It's a straight couple, though."

"That's fine," Sakura said.  The title screen came.  "Mongoose and Cobra?  That's a weird name."

"Yeah, well, they're like eternal rivals, you know?" Hinata said.  She hit play again and the anime started.

"Huh?"  Sakura looked at Hinata.  She was smiling and sitting with her legs crossed.  

"Yeah, mongooses and cobras.  They're always fighting.  But they like, help each other evolve.  So they say."

"Ah, I see, so she's a tsundere," Sakura said.

Hinata turned to her.  "I thought you don't watch anime?" Hinata asked.

"Huh?  Oh, yeah, some people I follow have talked about it from time to time," Sakura said.  She turned to Hinata.  "I eventually looked into it and all.  You know, after I read your diary, I was wondering if you were like a yandere or something."

"Sakura!" Hinata said.  Her face went red.  "Oh, jees, so that's why you were saying all that stuff!  Ack, how embarrassing."  She brought her palms to her cheeks.  "Please don't think of me that way."

Sakura got closer to Hinata and laid her head on her shoulder.  "Don't worry, I don't," she said.  She put a hand on Hinata's thigh and grazed her fingers against it.  "You're my perfect angel."

"Sakura..." she said and nuzzled her cheek against Sakura's.   

Her perfect angel, huh?  If Sakura were the main character of a TV show and Hinata were her love interest, Hinata would seem like she was just handed to her.  There wasn't even a good backstory.  Hinata was just a girl with a crush.  But Sakura found that her feelings for her were, maybe not growing, but starting to feel like something she could trust in.  She hadn't even realized until she contemplated marriage that she was unsure of what her feelings meant.  She was so behind when it came to love, but maybe these extreme circumstances were pushing her along at a higher than normal pace.  Most of her deep thoughts before then had to do with religion, right and wrong, and, of course, wondering why she couldn't stop loving Ino.  And, of course, she could never come to any answers for any of them.  With Ino, she just kept running in a circle.  She was her only friend.  But she wasn't a friend anymore.  And the way she had treated her, she hated it, yet, as she started to expect it, some strange desire had awoken in her.  She didn't want to be abused, but if she was going to be, she'd pretend it was for some greater purpose.  And no matter how she looked at it, it did work out that way.  Ino abused her because she was in love with her, and Hinata came to her because of it.

"This is cute," Sakura said, "but I feel bad for the guy.  She's a bit of a psycho."

"Oh, it's just ridiculous.  It's like an exaggeration.  I mean, could she really even hurt him?"

Sakura shrugged.  Could Ino?  Stupid, this show is a comedy.  Nothing like her life.

The next episode started.  "You want to watch more?" Hinata asked.

"Sure," Sakura said.  She wrapped an arm around Hinata.  "Oh, hey, this theme song is really catchy."

"Yeah, it's good."

"Wish I understood the lyrics."

"Oh, they're pretty cheesy."

"Can you understand them?"

"Yeah."

"You speak Japanese?"

"Well, I am Japanese, after all.  I mean, my parents are.  I grew up with both English and Japanese."

"That's really cool."

"Yeah?  What are you?  Half?"

"A quarter," Sakura said, "some Swedish, some Irish."

They watched a couple more episodes (and made out in between, duh).  

"So, I guess I should get you home," Hinata said.  

The two were still wrapped up together.  "Aw, do I have to?" Sakura asked.

"Well, yeah, I mean, don't you think it's about time?"

"If I weren't staying over.  If that's okay with you."

"I'd love to share a bed with you," Hinata said.  She turned red and looked up at Sakura.  "But what would you do about clothes?"

"Well, yours are baggy.  I'd just have to reuse my bra, but it's not like I got sweaty or anything."

"You should call your mom, then," Hinata said.  She kissed Sakura then got up.  "I'll go get some pajamas!"  She giggled and pranced across the room over to her closet.  Sakura had to wonder if they really had already fucked or not.  Whatever, Hinata was cute, and that made Sakura smile.  Then Hinata started to strip.  Oh, that's right, she's also hot as fuck, and Sakura had definitely seen those tits and that ass before. 

Hinata put on some pajamas.  Sakura contorted her face.  She should have pounced on her.  She sighed and picked up her phone.  "Yeah, hi, mom.  Yeah, all done.  Yeah.  Yeah.  Well, I was just calling to tell you I'm going to stay over tonight.  Yeah, yeah, she has clothes that'll fit me.  Yeah.  Mom!  Mom!  Stop it, c'mon!  I'm hanging up now!  Love you too. Goodnight."

Hinata handed Sakura some pajamas.  She tilted her head.  "What was that?" she asked.

"Pfft."

"Come on, Sakura, tell meee," Hinata said.

Sakura's face was hot.  "My mom said to use protection," she mumbled.  

Hinata laughed.  "Well, you told her we were getting married.  It's kind of your fault."

Sakura started to take off her clothes.  She undid her bra last.  Hinata had already seen her naked, and she had been so loving, so why did Sakura still feel so embarrassed?  Her nipples were too big, weren't they?  Did Hinata like them like that?

They cuddled up and started watched another episode together, then brushed their teeth.  

Sakura pushed Hinata down onto the bed and buried her face into her neck.  Her cell went off.  Who in the hell would be calling her?  Her only friend was right here.  Surely her mother wasn't calling about condoms or birth control.

Yamanaka?

"Hello?  Yeah, it's Sakura.  No, I haven't.  No.  Oh my God, I'm sorry.  Yeah, I'll try.  Bye."

"What was that?" Hinata asked.

"Ino hasn't come home and she's not answering her cell," Sakura said.  She hit Ino's number and put the phone to her ear.  It rang.  "If this has to do with me, maybe she'll answer."  And rang.  And ra... "Ino!  Where the hell are you?  Your parents are so worried!  No, stop it.  Just call your parents.  Ino, tell me where you are.  Ino!  She hung up."

"Sakura?" Hinata asked.

"She just kept apologizing and calling herself a monster.  She wouldn't tell me where she is, but I think I know.  You have to take me, Hinata.  Please."

Hinata looked at Sakura like she wanted to light the world on fire, but wouldn't be enjoying any of it.  Was that a growl?

"Hinata, please, if she's where I think she is, she might be in trouble," Sakura said.  

Hinata looked to the side and down at the floor.  "Fine," she said, "damn that bitch."

Sakura and Hinata bundled up and made their way to Hinata's car.  The thermostat in the car read 7 degrees (F).

Hinata drove, and Sakura guided them.  After about fifteen minutes, Sakura pointed at a car parked on the side of the road.  "Is that hers?" Hinata asked.

"I'm not sure," Sakura said, "never seen it.  But I'd take a good bet, considering this is only few minutes away from our spot.  Go up the road a little bit more.  Yeah, okay, I think it's around here."

They got out of the car.  "Damnit," Hinata said, "it's cold.  And pitch dark."  Hinata had a flashlight from her glove compartment and Sakura turned her cell's light on.

Sakura walked close to Hinata.  Their breath was like fog.  "I'm sorry," she said.

"It's not your fault."

Sakura pointed at the snow on the side of the road.  "She's here.  Or someone is.  Well, at least we can follow them.  I'm not totally sure where the entrance is anymore."

They followed the footprints until they reached some pine trees.  They had overgrown where Sakura remembered a path, but there were some broken branches.  "She's definitely in there," Sakura said.

"She better be, or we may be in trouble," Hinata said.

Sakura gulped.  Why'd she have to go and say that?  Oh no, Sakura felt her cowardice creeping in the shadows.  There could be Big Foot in there, or aliens...or...or a person who wasn't Ino.  She shined her light in, but angled it down at the ground only a few feet in front.  It looked like the path was still good.  Only the entrance had been overgrown.  "Hinata, can I have the flashlight?" she asked.

"S-sure," Hinata said.  She wrapped her arms around one of Sakura's.  "If anything happens, you better not leave me."

Sakura laughed nervously.

Hinata stamped a foot.  "I'm serious," she pleaded.  She sounded terrified. 

Sakura's own heart was racing a mile a minute.  "You can wait in the car," she said.

"No way!  I'm not letting you go in there alone!"

Sakura looked at Hinata.  She was somewhere between a frown and about to cry.  Sakura pulled her close and gave her a kiss.  Her lips were like soft ice.  "Let's go, then," Sakura said.

"I really wish we fucked one last time," Hinata said.

"Don't say shit like that!  You've got me scared enough!"

"Sorry, this is just really stupid.  That fucking girl."

"Yeah, I know."

Sakura pushed the tree branches out of the way.  White powder swirled around her and Hinata.  She tried her best to make sure the branches wouldn't snap back.

"Damn it," Hinata muttered.  Her teeth were chattering now.

"Sorry," Sakura said.  So were hers.

"It's okay."

When they got a bit deeper, there was some rustling above them and a flapping sound.  Snow rained down on Sakura and Hinata, and they heard some hooting.  "Ino?" Sakura called out, a whisper at first.  She cleared her throat.  "Ino?  Are you there?" 

They kept walking.  Hinata clenched Sakura's arm.  "We're almost there," Sakura said.

They got into an opening, and Sakura turned the flashlight to the spot she remembered well.  Ino was sitting on a fallen tree, wrapped in a blanket.  She had a backpack by her side.  There were drops of blood around her.  A kitchen knife.  "Ino!" Sakura shouted.  She yanked her arm out of Hinata's grasp and made a dash towards Ino.  It only took a second, but she knew the feeling well: the feeling of air beneath your feet and no ground to be found.  Well, until it met her face.  Sakura pushed herself up and flicked snow off her hands then face.  She reached for the flashlight.  Fingers touched her cheek.

"S-Sakura?" Ino asked.

Sakura reached forward and took Ino into her arms.  "Ino, you fucking idiot," she said.  Tears started running down her cheeks.

"Sakura."  Ino cried.  "Why?  I didn't...I didn't get help.  Just made it worst."

"Stop it, Ino, just stop it," Sakura said.  She held Ino tight.  "I forgive you, okay?  I forgive you for everything.  Just stop it."

A light came on behind Sakura, and snow and leaves crunched as Hinata walked over to them.  She tugged on the flashlight, and Sakura let her take it.

"How can you forgive me, Sakura?" Ino asked.

"I don't know.  I just can, okay?"

"But I...I...."

"Just stop, Ino, it's okay," Sakura said.  She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"No," Hinata said, "it's not.  Say it, Ino."

Ino's cry shook the forest.  She buried her head in Sakura's neck.  "I raped you," she said, "I raped you."

"You did," Sakura whispered.

"How can you forgive me so easily?"

"It's fucked up, but it didn't affect me too much.  Such things bother me far less than others."

"Because of me."

"Yeah, because of you."

"And you're comforting me.  This is so stupid."

"Damn right," Hinata said, "now get up, Ino.  We need to get you out of here before you freeze to death."  Ino left Sakura's arms and as soon as she stood, Hinata smacked her across the face.  "Don't ever make me come looking for you again."  She shined the light on Ino.  Ino had a hand to her cheek and nodded. 

Sakura stood up.  "What's all the blood from?" she asked.

"I...I cut myself," Ino said.

"Ino, show me."

Ino looked away.  Judging by the blood in the snow, it was her left arm.  Sakura grabbed her by the arm and rolled up the sleeve of her sweatshirt (she really hadn't dressed for this weather).  There was a giant gash across her underarm.  Muscle was exposed.  

"For fuck's sake," Hinata said.  She kicked at some snow.  "We're going to have to take you to the hospital."

"No!" Ino said.

"If you don't get that stitched up, you're going to have a huge scar."

"Whatever.  I deserve as much."

"You're a real project, you know that?  Fine, have it your way.  Let's head to my car.  I'm fucking freezing."

Ino held her head down.  Sakura picked up Ino's backpack then grabbed her by the hand and followed Hinata.  "The tree's over," Sakura said.

"Happened last year," Ino said.

Hinata drove past the car on the side of the road.  "My car!" Ino said.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Hinata asked.  She kept driving.  "I'm making sure you don't do anything stupid.  You're going to stay with us tonight.  We'll get your car tomorrow.  We're going to skip school and sort all this shit out.  You'll go back to school come Monday, and leave us alone for good.  Got it?"

Ino didn't answer.  Sakura had thought like Hinata and sat in the back with her.  The ride back to Hinata's was a quiet one.

"Holy shit this place is huge," Ino muttered as they pulled up to the mansion after the minute-long ride down the driveway.

"It looks even bigger from the inside," Sakura said.

Hinata sighed.  "I'm glad you two can bond over my house, but let's get inside," she said while parking.  Hinata gave Ino the short tour up to her room.

"Here," Hinata said, shoving some pajamas and a toothbrush into Ino's chest.  "Take a shower, then I'll have Kakashi sew you up."

"Kakashi?" Ino asked.

"Her butler," Sakura said, "tape measurer.  Seamstress.  Mechanic.  And now I guess he's a doctor too."

"Next you're going to tell me—"

Sakura held up a hand and shook her head.  "Already made the joke," she said.  "Hinata told me not to tell anyone.  I kind of think she might be serious."

"I'm right her," Hinata said.  She pushed Ino forward by the back.  "Shower.  Now.  That needs to get fixed up."

"It's going to hurt," Ino said.

"Maybe.  Probably.  Fuck you, just go."

Ino shut the bathroom door.

"Don't be so hard on her," Sakura said.

"Someone needs to be," Hinata said.  She fell back onto her bed.  

Sakura sat next to her and leaned over her, placing a hand to either side of Hinata.  "Am I worth it?" she asked.

Hinata shut her eyes and stuck out her tongue.  Then she sighed.  "She could have really died," she said, "I think she really intended to.  You may have saved her life."

"You drove.  Would you have been happy if she died?"

Hinata sighed again.  "No.  But she might deserve it."

"Come on, you saw her."

"I'm still not 100% convinced it's not all some act."

"You think she bet her life on it?"

"Who knows what she's thinking."

Sakura stroked Hinata's cheek.  She felt warm, at least.  "Whatever it is, I'm really grateful," she said.

"Yeah, yeah.  I wasn't about to let you live with that guilt.  Nor myself...convincing yourself that someone deserved to die...that doesn't sound pleasant."

Sakura leaned over Hinata and ran her fingers through the deep purple-black hair.  "You're a good person, Hinata," she said.

"I would have let her die if it weren't for you," she said.

"Even so," Sakura said.  She brushed her lip's against Hinata's.  Hinata reached a hand up and held some of Sakura's bangs out of her face.  They looked at each other lovingly then Sakura got on top of her and began kissing her.

"Let's fuck her," Hinata said.

Sakura's eyes shot up.  "What?"

"You heard me.  You want to fuck another girl (proper) at least once, right?  I wouldn't mind trying it, and if what she said is true, God knows that girl needs it.  She'll live the rest of her life regretting what she did to you, because she could have so easily had you."

"But you hate her."

"I hate what she's done."

"This is weird, Hinata.  I don't want to cheat on you or feel like you're doing something like this for me."

"Sakura, it wouldn't be cheating.  We'd be doing it together.  I just want all of this behind us."

Sakura glanced past Hinata's head at the pink comforter.  "I don't know, Hinata," she said.

"Well, it's out there.  Let's just see what happens, then.  If something starts to go somewhere and one of us changes our mind, let's just say...I dunno, mongoose?"

"Mongoose?  Well, alright, Hinata.  But I'm not going to be trying to lead this anywhere.  I want to be with you, Hinata."

"Stop pretending like you don't have doubts.  There's no way these complex feelings you have for her have disappeared in the matter of half a day."

The door opened.  Ino slowly shut it behind her.  Sakura and Hinata watched her.  Ino glanced around.  "What?" she asked, "was I interrupting something?  Sorry, but I was done."

"No," Sakura said, "we were just talking."  She and Hinata sat up.

Ino walked to the opposite end of the bed.  "May I sit down?" she asked.

Hinata nodded, then she went to her cellphone.

"What were you talking about?" Ino asked.

"Oh, nothing," Sakura said.

"You," Hinata said.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you."  Hinata narrowed her brows.  "That a problem?"

"N-no.  What about me?"

There was a knock on the door.  "We're talk later," Hinata said, "come in, Kakashi."  The door opened.  "Kakashi, she has a wound on her left forearm.  Stitch her up and dress it."  Kakashi nodded.  Hinata pulled him in with a wave of her index finger and she whispered, "Use the weak painkillers."  He nodded again then went to Ino and guided her back into the bathroom.

"That's not nice," Sakura said.

"Huh?" Hinata asked.

"You want her in pain."

"Oh, no, it's not like that.  I just don't want her out of it when we fuck her."

"Hinata...I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Ow!" Ino screamed from the bathroom.

"It'll be over in a minute," Kakashi said, "just bear with it."

The door opened and Kakashi walked to Hinata's bedroom door, stopped, and turned.  "Thank you, Kakashi, that'll be all," Hinata said.  He bowed to all three of them individually, then left.

Ino sat on the bed, glaring at the wrapping on her arm.  "Damn it," she said.

Hinata crawled over to her.  "Yeah, you really shouldn't have done that," she said.  She was over Ino's shoulder, looking down at the bandages.  Ino turned to her and stared.  Hinata brushed some hair behind her ear.  "What?" she asked.  

Ino went red.  "S-so, what did you want to...talk about?" she asked.

"Don't be stupid," Hinata said, "Sakura told me about how you confessed your love for her."

Sakura stayed on the other end of the bed.  Somehow, it felt like she was an observer in one of the most important moments of her young life.

Ino looked down.  "Oh."  Hinata gave her some space and sat down.  Ino fidgeted, looking like she wanted to turn to Hinata.  "Yeah, so?  What about it?"

"If you love her, how could you do those things to her?" Hinata asked, "what you told Sakura may be good enough for her, but not for me."

"What do you know?"

"It started as an insecurity, and escalated.  Before you knew it, you were feeding off of doing terrible things to her."

"I didn't even realize it had gotten that far."

"Why did you let it?"

Ino sighed.  "I can't be gay," she said.

"What's wrong with being gay?" Hinata asked.

Ino looked down.  "You don't understand."

"You haven't tried to explain." 

"My parents...they are extremely religious.  The kind where they see being straight as nature, and being gay as a choice.  I think they'd stop talking to me.  Maybe even disown me."

"God damn it," Hinata said, "that's fucked up.  I get it, Ino.  The world is fucked up, and it's easy to slip.  But you can't change who you are.  Look what happened when you tried."

Ino glanced away. 

"You have a boyfriend, right, Ino?" Sakura asked.  

Ino looked at Sakura.  She smiled.  "That's right," she said, "I'm just going to stick to boys."

"Do you fuck your boyfriend?" Hinata asked.

"Y-yes."

"And you enjoy it?"

"Y-yes.  It's...fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah, fine," Ino said.  She glanced at Sakura.  "I'm uncomfortable."

"Ino," Sakura said, "be honest.  Do you like having sex with boys?"

Ino clenched over her heart.  "I said it's fine!"

Sakura crawled to Ino and sat next to her.  She ran a hand down the side of Ino's face.  "Ino, what do you mean by 'fine'?" she asked.

Ino's eyes became glassy.  "If I... if I think about someone else, I can get through it," she said.

"Ino, you can't do that.  Not to him.  Not to yourself.  You're going to really hurt yourself."

"Like I haven't already.  Look, it's just because I'm in love with you, okay?  Once I get over you, everything will be fine."

There was movement on the bed.  Sakura turned to see Hinata walking around and taking her pajama's off. 

"Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"I've heard enough," Hinata said, "I'm putting an end to this."  She stood naked in front of Ino, red in the face and eyes narrowed.  She ran her hands down her body.  "Do you find me attractive, Ino?" she asked.

Ino looked away.  "Wha-what are you doing?" she asked.

"Do you find me attractive?"

"...I find you scary, to be honest," Ino said.

Hinata made an annoyed sound.  She put on a smile and turned so her profile was facing Ino.  "How about now?"

Ino glanced at her then looked away, red in the face.

Hinata turned back and licked her index finger then began playing with herself, rubbing her lips up and down, one after the other.  She let out an exaggerated moan.  Ino looked at her, blushing.  Hinata's face was red, too, and she watched Ino with half-open eyes.  "You find me attractive, don't you?  Are you getting wet?"

"I know _I_ am," Sakura said.  She got on her knees and crawled to the edge of the bed.  She placed a hand on Hinata's hip that was furthest away and her other on Hinata's navel.  She began to slowly glide her fingers down Hinata's stomach and followed behind with kisses.

"Yes!" Ino shouted, "God damn it, yes!"  Tears ran down her cheeks.  "You're wicked fucking hot!"

Sakura guided Hinata onto the bed and laid her down.  She laid between Hinata's legs and took over on her pussy for her.  She ran a finger around her lips and would dance one just outside of her vagina.  She did this until it was about as moist as she thought it would get.  "Mmmm, fuck yeah, Hinata," Sakura said and licked it.  She kissed Hinata's pussy then rubbed her cheek into it.  "God damn it, baby, you're so wet for me."

"Yeah, Sakura.  Please, give me more.  Eat my pussy.  And Ino, eat Sakura's pussy for her."

"W-what?" Ino asked in a small voice.

"You've never done it before, have you?"

Sakura got on her knees.  "Go ahead," she said, then tasted more of Hinata.  After a little while, she felt air against her pussy, then something wet.  It was just a little here and there, then there were hands holding onto her hips and more pressure on her pussy.  Ino's tongue went under her lips and circles around her vagina.  "Oh, yes!  That's great!  Play with my clit!"  She felt Ino's hand against her lower stomach.  A finger touched the desired spot.

"I'm going to come, Hinata said.  Sakura started rubbing Hinata's clitoris as she continues to lick her vagina.  Her legs shook and closed around Sakura's head. 

Sakura, her breathing getting heavy, looked at Hinata's pussy with a promise to return, then moved off of Hinata.  She hesitantly tried to pull away from Ino, but Ino was holding her close.  "Ino, I want to get on my back," she said.

"Oh, okay," Ino said and let go of her. 

Sakura flipped over and looked up into Ino's eyes.  She had that red, timid look about her that Sakura hadn't seen until earlier that day.  "Come here," Sakura said.

Ino tilted her head then looked down.  She slid her hands between Sakura's legs.

"No," Sakura said, "come here, so I can kiss you."

Ino went down on her hands over Sakura's body.  Sakura tugged on Ino's pajama shirt and began to lift it over her head.  She pulled Ino down so she laid atop her, her head lifted just above Sakura's and looking down with her bright blue eyes.  Sakura brought her hands up to Ino's cheeks and pulled her down to get a taste of her lips.  She held Ino there and kissed her passionately, nipping on her bottom lips and kissing her tongue.  "You can taste Hinata, huh?" Sakura asked, "doesn't she taste good?"

"Yeah," Ino said.  She looked down at Sakura and tears started down her cheeks.  "I really fucked up."

"You don't need to keep apologizing."

"I'm not.  I just want you to know I love you," Ino said.

"I love you, Ino, and I would have forever," Sakura said, "but after tonight, I'm going to be with Hinata, and only Hinata. Please accept that."

"I will, Sakura," Ino said. She laid her head down on Sakura's chest. "But until then, will you hold me?"

Sakura wrapped her arms around Ino.  She was warm. "Do you want me to do you?" she asked.

"No," Ino said, "I just want to be in your arms for as long as I can."

Sakura felt tears run down her cheeks.


	11. Chapter 11

Sakura opened her eyes to darkness.  There was soft, warm weight on her arm.  Hinata?  No, Ino.  She looked over where Ino would be, towards an end table.  No, this was not her bed.  Past Hinata was the clock.  2:37 AM.  Shit, no one had notified Ino's parents.  Would they want a call now?  Yeah, of course they would.  So, she placed a hand under Ino's head and pulled her arm out from under Ino's neck.  

"Sakura?" Ino asked.  She didn't sound awake.  

"Yeah, it's me."

"I'm sorry, Sakura," she said.  Sakura felt her head lay against her breast.  A hand touched her ribs.

"It's okay, Ino, but I need my cellphone.  Or yours.  Can you grab it for me?"

"So sorry, Sakura."

 _Damnit_.

"Here," Hinata said.  Sakura felt something bump against her shoulder.  Sakura grabbed the phone then heard Hinata roll over.  "What's going on?"

"I need to call her parents," Sakura said, "you might want to look away."  She turned Hinata's phone on and held it to her chest.  After a few seconds, a glow appeared out from underneath it.  Once it was fully booted (she had turned the phone on enough at night to get a feel for how it glowed during different stages), she lifted it to her face and dialed the number.  It only rang once.

"It's Sakura.  Yeah, good news.  I found her.  She's with me.  She'll...be fine.  She had a rough day.  She'll be home tomorrow.  I mean, today.  Please, don't worry.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry.  I don't know... She's sleeping right now.  I don't think it's a good idea to force her right now.  Yeah, I promise.  Right in the morning.  Goodbye."

Sakura handed the phone back to Hinata.  The light went away.  Hinata moved close to Sakura and pushed Ino off.  She put an arm around Sakura and tried to move Sakura to her side, but Sakura had to do it for her.  She put her arm under Hinata's neck.  They pulled the blankets up to their chests and Hinata laid her head under Sakura's chin.  "I've had enough of her for a while," Hinata said, "you're _mine_."

"I'm sorry, Hinata," Sakura said.  She stroked the back of Hinata's head.  "It must have been a real pain."

"This whole business was fucking stupid.  You're lucky I'm fucking stupidly in love with you.  But, you know, I made it an even bigger pain, so there's that."

"You might have saved her."

"I'm not so sure," Hinata said.  Her little fingertips glided against Sakura's side, down to her hip.

"What do you mean?"

"Even if she's okay with herself, she might not be able to change her parents' views," Hinata said.  There was a softness to her words.  "How could she even go about trying?"

"I...don't know.  It really sucks.  But, Hinata...."

"Yeah?"

"You didn't have to do much, huh?"

"Are you kidding me?  I stripped and masturbated in front of her!"

"That wasn't the deal."

"Sakura, c'mon, it just didn't play out that way," Hinata said.  She rubbed the top of her head against Sakura's chin.

"True, but I still didn't get to have her the way I wanted."

"Damn it, Sakura..."

Sakura poked Hinata on the cheek.  "Don't worry.  I feel fulfilled now."

"Fuck you, Sakura," Hinata said.

Sakura felt Hinata's lips on hers.  "Right now?"

"Yeah, right.  Go back to sleep."

"I love you, Hinata."

"You sure about it now?"

"Yeah.  I'm really glad we'll be able to part as...friends."

"Good," Hinata whispered and buried her head into Sakura's chest, "I love you."

Sakura shut her eyes.

Something was shaking her.  What?  How long had it been?  "What time is it?" Sakura asked.

"Five," Hinata said.  She was sitting on the bed, looking down at Sakura.  "She wants to go."

"I'm going home then to school," Ino said.  She was dressed (in yesterday's clothes) and brushing her teeth.   "I need to get my mind off things.  And deal with some stuff."  She looked worn.  

"You coming?" Hinata asked.

Truth be told, Sakura hadn't been excited to skip school, what with recently receiving her first A- on a homework assignment in years.  "Yeah, I'd like to get to school, too," she said.

Sakura and Hinata had a nice breakfast of eggs, toast, and steak, but Ino hardly ate.

Bundled up tight, they headed out.

"Call me if you ever need anything," Sakura said.

Ino smiled.  "Thanks," she said.

Sakura waved as Ino drove off.

"Well, I'm really glad this is done with," Hinata said when Sakura got back into her car.  "Well, at least I hope it is.  Who knows with that one."

"I believe in her," Sakura said.

"If only that were enough."

Sakura glanced away.  "Well, we gunna get moving?" she asked.

Hinata glared at Sakura.  Sakura sighed and put her seatbelt on.

During fourth period, before the bell, Sakura overheard Ino talking to her friend.  "You broke up with Sasuke?" the friend asked, "after all that time you put into trying to get him?  He's like the most popular boy in school!"

"Well, he _is_ the most popular boy in our grade, but yes, I did," Ino said.

"Why?!" she asked.  Her eyes went wide and she leaned a hand on the desk.  "Don't tell me he...."

"No.  It just wasn't going to work out."

Sakura took out her phone and texted Ino: you did the right thing

Ino looked at her phone then glanced back and smiled at Sakura for a second.

Sakura placed a hand over her heart.  Everything was going to be okay.

The next day, Saturday around noon, Sakura was writing an essay when her phone went off.  It was a text from Ino.

Ino: I'm so sorry, Sakura.

Before Sakura could respond, she received another.

Ino: I'm really glad we got to part as friends, too.

Sakura: stop apologiz

But before she hit send, there was another.

Ino: Have a happy life for me.  I love you.  I'm so, so sorry.

Ino: So, so sorry

Ino: I love you

Ino: I love you

Ino: I don't think I could ever convince you after what I did

Ino: but i love you

Ino: so, so sorry

Ino: i'm glad my last thoughts will be thinking of the life we could have had its bittersweet but brings me some happiness the tears are good

Then they stopped.

Sakura hit the call button and rushed the phone to her ear.  It rang.  And rang.  And rang.  Sakura stared at the phone.  All she could do was hit the call button again.

It rang.

And rang.

And rang.

Sakura threw on her coat and headed downstairs.  

"Where are you going?" her father asked.

"For a walk, dad," she said.  She had her hand over her phone in her pocket.

Outside, she called Hinata.  "Pick me up, please," Sakura pleaded.  She was walking down her driveway.  "I'll be walking towards where we found Ino Thursday.  Please, Hinata.  I know what you said.   _Please!_ "

Hinata intercepted her when Sakura was about a half an hour (walking distance) away.  "What did she do now?" Hinata asked.  She was frowning.  "I swear to God, if this is some fucking joke."

Sakura held her phone up and showed Hinata the messages.  Hinata gulped.

Outside their spot, Sakura pointed at some footprints.  "They look fresh," she said.

Hinata raised an eyebrow.  "Maybe a couple hours ago," she said, "and it looks like there are some coming out, too.  Fresher." 

Sakura didn't listen.  She felt her legs moving too fast.  She ran through the branches, cold scraping across her face and needles jabbing at her eyes.  One got under the lid, and she felt water build, but she kept going at the pace.  She slipped a few times and caught herself.  All the way to the opening.  Panting, fog coming from her, she looked around.  Ino wasn't there.  "Ino!" she yelled, "INO!  Answer me!  I know you're here!"  A hand came to her shoulder.  "Ino?!"  Sakura spun around.

Hinata shook her head.  She circled around the perimeter of the place.  "She _was_ here, but unless she leapt over the trees, she headed out the trail," she said.

Sakura turned away.  It wasn't true.  She was around here.  An hour passed, but they didn't find any evidence that Ino had went into the forest.  That was good in its own way, but it would have been better to just find her.

"Sakura...she's not here," Hinata said.  She had her hands in her purple pockets and was shivering.  "My feet are getting wet, and water is starting to seep through my hat."  She glanced aside.  "I'm sorry, really, but we need to leave."

Sakura's cheeks were freezing.  She had to keep wiping the water off of them.  With a nod, the two headed out.

It was a week before she received the phone call.  Ino's frozen body had been found in her car, deep inside the state forest.  They said she was holding a picture of them.  Sakura became numb.

It wasn't true.

A few days later, she found herself at Ino's wake.

It still wasn't true.

Sakura leaned over the open casket.  Ino looked so peaceful.  There was no way she was dead.  It was all a mistake.  She could still come back at any second.  Or, it was all a dream.  Yeah, just a dream.  One of them was going to wake up at any second.

"I'm here, Ino," Sakura said.  She stroked Ino's cheek.  "You can wake up now."  Sakura felt hands tighten around her upper arm.

"Sakura," Hinata said, "don't do this to yourself.  She's gone."

Sakura fell to her knees and rested her arms atop the edge of the casket, and her head on them.  The tears came violently.  "I know," she said, "it hurts so much."  She felt Hinata's arms around her waist and her body against her as she leaned her head against Sakura's upper back.

"I know," Hinata said.  She sniffed.

"It's my fault.  I should have done more."

"No, Sakura.  I should have brought her to the hospital."

Sakura went silent for a while.  "No, it just isn't fair," she said, "what's wrong with  _it?_ _"_   The wood was starting to dig into her arms.  She welcomed the discomfort.  

"Sakura, don't do this here."

"It's fucking wrong, Hinata!" she said, "we could have been happy together!"  Her first romantic kiss could have been with her best friend—her first love.  Instead, it was with a stranger in a bathroom after contemplating suicide.  

"Sakura..." Hinata said.  Her arms tightened around her.  "She made her choices."

"That's bullshit, Hinata, and you know it," Sakura said, "she was only a kid then.  Only sixteen now.  What was she supposed to do with parents like that? I get it now, Hinata.  She was sharing her pain with me."  Sakura stood up and turned to Hinata.  She wiped her eyes but the tears kept coming.  "I'm glad she did.  Now I understand how fucked up this world really can be."  She looked at the man in black with the white collar, then to Ino's parents.

"I understand this is a hard time for you, but I must insist that you stop with that language," the minister said, "this is a funeral and a sacred place."

Sakura looked down.

"What were you saying?" Ino's father asked.

Sakura turned to him.  She couldn't help her eyes from narrowing.

"Sakura, don't," Hinata said.

Sakura looked at Hinata, then back to Mr. Yamanaka.  His wife and Sakura's parents had joined him.  "It's your fault," Sakura said.

"What...what do you mean?" he asked, "what do you know?"

Hinata tried to stop her again and said, "Sakura, you don't know that for certain, it could have been—"

But Sakura had enough.  Her chest was on fire and the warm tears told her there was nothing left to give the world but honesty.  "She was gay!" she said, "and terrified what you'd think!  She thought you'd disown her!"

Mrs. Yamanaka started balling and covered her face with her hands.

"Dis...disown her?" Mr. Yamanaka asked, "we'd never...."

Sakura's heart sank.

"We would have just made her get help."

Then there was nothing but rage and anguish.  " _Get help_ _?_ " she muttered under her breath.  Her chest was heaving.  "Fuck you!  Fuck your god!  Fuck your religion!  _You're_ the fucking monsters!"

"Sakura, calm down, please," Hinata said.  She grabbed Sakura's hand.

The minister put a hand on Sakura's shoulder.  "Listen to your friend," he said, "take a seat."

Sakura pulled away.  "Get your filthy fucking hands off of me!" she said, "don't you get it?  You all disgust me!"  She grabbed Hinata.  "And she's not my friend!"  She pressed her lips against Hinata's.

There was silence.  Then, "Get out of here with your twisted lies!  This is my daughter's funeral!"

 _Lies._   So that's how it was going to be remembered.  The tears came again, then she felt the wind on her face, then glass on her cheek as she threw her body into the door.  She ran, and ran until she hit Hinata's car.  She slammed into it then grabbed the handle and shook it violently.  "Damn it!" she said, then leaned against the door and slid down to the ground, crying.

"Honey," her mother said.

She looked up at her mom for a second, then quickly hid her face with her arms and against the car door again.  "I'm sorry, mom," she said.  She needed water. "I...I just couldn't keep it in."

"It's okay, honey," she said.  She sounded like she was crying.  "I'm not mad at you.  Talk to me."

Sakura uncovered her face, but she kept it to the door, looking along the edge of the car.  "It's not right, mom," she said, "she didn't have to die."  She felt her face tighten.  The tears threatened to blind her.  "She can't come back.  Just like that.  Gone, forever.  It hurts.  It hurts so much."

Her mom sat on the ground with her.  She reached over and held Sakura.

"Mom," Sakura cried.  Her chest gave a heave at spastic intervals.  "I love you, mom."

"I love you," she said, "let's go home."

Her father and Hinata walked up.  "I want to be with Hinata," Sakura said.

"I think you owe her an apology, Sakura," her mother said.  Sakura looked up at her.  "You made it sound like she wasn't important, then did  _that_ to her in front of all those people."

Hinata looked away.

"Okay," Sakura said.  She wiped her face.  "Mom, dad, I'll see you at home."

"We love you, honey," her mother said.  Her father nodded, and the two disappeared.

Hinata knelt by Sakura.  "I'm sorry," Sakura said.

"It's okay, Sakura," Hinata said.  She hugged Sakura.  

Sakura clenched Hinata tight, taking in all her warmth and the softness of her wool jacket.  "You are important to me, it's just...."  

"I get it.  To fall in love with your best friend is a beautiful thing.  And for her to love you back, that'd be just about a perfect life."

"I love you, Hinata.  Please don't leave me."

"Keep loving me, and I won't."

"I'm such a terrible girlfriend."

"No, Sakura, you're doing the best you can with what you've been given."

"No.  I could have been stronger.  Smarter.  More considerate of you."

"Sakura, if you can forgive Ino and let her get away with what she did because she was young, then I think I can forgive you for all the nonsense you've put me through."

Right.  Wrong.  Responsibility.  Sakura had trapped herself, so she said nothing.

Hinata placed a hand under Sakura's chin and looked her in the eyes.  "She died with some type of peace, Sakura," she said, "let her have it." 


	12. Chapter 12

Sakura pushed Hinata against the wall.  She tasted her lips and breath, sliding her hands down Hinata's sides and up underneath her shirt and unhooked her bra.

"You're being a bit rough tonight," Hinata said.  She wrapped her arms around Sakura's neck.

"You don't like it?" Sakura asked, pulling the shirt over Hinata's head.  She tugged on a nipple and put her tongue between Hinata's lips.

" _This_ is good."

"Just good?" Sakura asked.  She pulled down on the hair between her fingers and pressed her palm under Hinata's chin as she planted her lips against her neck.  Hinata moaned.  Sakura's shirt was being pulled up.  She raised her arms.  When Hinata was visible, Sakura shut her eyes and placed both hands on her cheeks, brushing their lips together then taking the bottom between hers.  "Fuck, you make me feel great.  I'm so fucking turned out."

"I love it when you talk like this," Hinata said.  Her cheek felt warm against Sakura's neck.  "You make me so happy."

"Don't get too sappy right now."

"I will.  Make love to me."

"I want to fuck you," Sakura said.  The button to Hinata's jeans slid out of her fingers.

"What's the difference?"

"Adrenaline?" Sakura asked.  "Mmm, you've soaked your panties for me."  Hinata's chest pressed into hers.  The rhythm was intoxicating.  

"You're too smart to be a housewife," Hinata said.  Her face had gone red and she couldn't keep her mouth closed.

"You're too hot to be made love to," Sakura said.  She cupped a breast and wrapped her lips around the nipple.

"Smart or not, I think you're wrong.  I love to be fucked by you, and it's not just sex."

"Oh?  Tell me about it."  Hinata's moistness finally directly contacted her fingers and Sakura shuttered.  She stroked one up and down Hinata.

"Well, you make me feel safe," Hinata said.  Sakura felt one of her hands against the back of her head.  She rubbed her tongue around the nipple then went to the other breast.

"I do?" she asked before kissing underneath the breast, then all around.

"Yeah.  I trust you."

"How's that?"

"Your kindness is your weakness, but... You'd never cheat on me with someone else."

"Don't talk about her."

"Please.  When will you be over her?"

"Never.  You know that."

"There's nothing you can do but accept it."

"How can I accept the world as it is?"

"You just have to, or you'll be angry all your life.  That kind of stress can't be healthy.  Please, for me, try."

"If I'm so smart, maybe I'll go and invent a time machine."

"And leave me?"

"Never.  I'm only joking.  But if you leave me, too, then I might just have to."

"Stop thinking that way."

Sakura went into Hinata.  "Fuck, that was fast," she said, "I love it when you get tight.  You feel so good.  So warm.  So wet."  She went in as deep as one finger could and pressed against a corner.

"Yeah, right there.  Right there."

Sakura gave her what she wanted for a while, then said, "I can't wait any longer."  She pushed Hinata's jean's past her hips.  Hinata kicked them off and Sakura got on her knees.

Earlier, after Hinata had showered, Sakura asked to watch more of that anime.  They made out a lot during it and fondled each other. 

Sakura pulled the panties down.  It was the perfect scent—steeped in Hinata's pure sex from constant reapplication.  She went back into Hinata and pressed her lips against her pussy.  The little kisses she gave it filled Sakura with bliss and she moaned against Hinata's lips.  The taste on her tongue wasn't enough, though, so she got her mouth under Hinata and stuck it into her.  She stroked Hinata's labia then began rubbing her clit.  The hand she had worked with before glided up Hinata's body until her fingertips caressed her chin.  She felt Hinata's tongue on her index finger, then take it into her mouth.  How she loved Hinata's height.  

"Yes.  Yes.  Yes, Sakura.  Don't stop.  So good.  I'm going to come.  Oh, oh yes!"

Hinata's body shook around Sakura.  She didn't stop, though.

"S-Sakura?  Oh, fuck!"

Not yet.  Sakura stood up.  She wished she were strong enough to pick Hinata up, but guiding her would have to do.  With a push, Hinata fell back onto her bed.  She looked up at Sakura out of the top of her eyes.  Sakura got over her and cradled her head with one hand as the other went back to play.  Hinata closed her lips around Sakura's.

"I love you," Hinata murmured as she came again.

"Let's do it," Sakura said.  She laid next to Hinata and turned to her.  Hinata's breasts were heaving up and down out the corner of Sakura's eye.

"What?" Hianta asked.

"Get married."

"Sakura...I don't know if that'd be good for you now."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Yes...."

"I don't want to ever feel uncommitted to you again."

"Sakura..."

"Don't you want to marry me?" Sakura asked.  She ran a hand down Hinata's stomach and rested on her thigh.

"Yes.  But I'm weird."

"That sounds like an insult."

"I mean, my heart has only ever wanted you."

"So, that means I'm not weird?"

"You're normal to me."

"I don't ever want to lose this feeling.  Let's live in foolish bliss."

"I don't know if that's romantic or stupid."

"It sounds like both to me."

Hinata's mouth curved up.  "Ask me again tomorrow," she said.

"I will."

"Until then," Hinata said, rolling over and getting atop Sakura.

In the morning, Sakura laid on her side, an elbow holding up a hand that her cheek rested in.  She watched Hinata stir awake.  "I still love you," she said.

Hinata looked at Sakura and smiled.

"Marry me."

Hinata scooched over, wrapped an arm around Sakura and buried her face into her chest.  "Okay," she said.

But it didn't go quite as planned.

"Hinata, you're being foolish," her father said.

She looked up at him and his business suit.  He didn't seem displeased, or annoyed, or anything for that matter.

"Daddy, it's what I want, and everything is going to work out," she said, "I just know it."

"I won't stop you, but I'm not paying for any of it.  Furthermore, unless you produce your own children, I'm not leaving the estate to you.  The business must always be with our blood, Hinata.  You know that."

"I don't care about any of that," she said.  "I doubt Hanabi has any more plans to have children right now than I do, too."

"Don't care about any of that?" he asked.  His brows closed in on each other.  "How can you say that?  Don't you know how much our family has worked to make sure you and your children, and your children's children would get to live meaningful, comfortable, powerful lives?"

"Of course I do, but I want to marry Sakura."

"How long have you known her?  A few months?  You might think you have it all sorted out now and can see your future, but the big picture is greater than any of us.  Anyhow, I said you can marry her.  What I need from you is to know you'll continue our legacy.  If you can't promise me that, I'm leaving the estate to your sister until you can.  If I die tomorrow, that's it."

"That's fine."

"Hinata, it isn't.  You've been groomed to take over.  Hanabi can become more than capable, but like I said, if something were to happen...."

"Then I'd help her, of course," Hinata said, "I'm your daughter."

The tiniest bit of a smile crept up on his lips.  "Okay," he said, "but I'm still not paying for it.  Marriage is very personal and intimidate.  Your own work should buy it." 

Hinata glanced away from Sakura.  "That's how it went," she said.

"What's the problem?" Sakura asked, "what's signing a paper cost?  Fifty dollars?"

"Something like that," Hinata said.  She grabbed Sakura's hands and looked up into her eyes.  "But I want a real wedding, and a real honeymoon.  We can't afford that."

Sakura bit her lip.  Though she didn't really care, it did sound nice.  "I'll get a job," she said.

"I will too, then."

"No.  Focus on tennis."

"Sakura... But there is no place near your house or the school.  How will you do it?"

"I have my license."

"Can you get a car?"

"Lend me yours until I can afford one, and take me to work on the weekends."

"This is going to take forever...."

"I'll drop out of school."

"No way!  No!" Hinata said.  She looked off in thought then turned back to Sakura.  "After you get a car, I'll get a part-time job and work the weekends, too."

Sakura leaned into Hinata's lips.


	13. Chapter 13

On schooldays that she worked, she took Hinata's car straight from school and picked her up in the morning (well, dropped it off and switched seats).  On those days, Kakashi picked Hinata up.  On the weekend, Sakura's parents brought her to and from work.

Finding a job wasn't hard for a sixteen-year-old.  It was only a minimum wage position as a cashier at a fast-food chain, but what more could a sixteen-year-old hope for?  Sakura sighed as she looked over her first pay check—only one hundred and fifty dollars.  Hinata was right.  This was going to take forever.  Because she was only sixteen and still in school, she could only work until ten at night.  She'd have to pick up another weeknight (it only ended up adding about another fifty dollars to her paycheck, but her parents refused to let her work more than four days a week).  Would she only see Hinata at school?  There's no way she wanted to give up sex, but she was already doing homework, projects and essays late into the night. 

It wasn't too difficult at first, but as the weeks went by, the lack of sleep was starting to show.  A- after A- was sending her overall grades into that direction.  To the average person, it may not seem like a big deal, but her perfect grades were her pride.  If only she could just quit school, but Hinata threatened to postpone the engagement further.  It pissed her off, but Hinata was too good to her, and she knew she was likely right.  What had she been thinking?  Not graduating high school had never crossed her mind before then.

So, Sakura sat at her desk.  Her stomach hurt, her head hurt, and the clock was about to read 3:00 AM.  The crack from opening the energy drink hit the air—a sound she had grown sickly familiar with.  The paper had to be finished.  The bus would be her bed again.

After school, she went straight to work.  The register was easy (not that it was meant to be hard).  Within the first day, she had every button memorized by location and knew all the basic functions of the electronic menu.  She could work the machine with little more than a glance.  After a week, she had known all the nuisances, too, like how to void orders, how to substitute, etc. (these took longer to learn because they didn't happen often).

The left side door opened.  Sakura yawned, shook her head and sighed.  It was _that_ guy again.  The one with the—she hesitated to call them eyebrows.  He walked to the counter and leaned over it.

"So, Sakura, you reconsider yet?" he asked, poking the plastic with his index finger.  He did this thing with his mouth.  Sakura assumed he thought it was a smile, but it was too creepy to be classified as such.

Sakura felt her eyelid twitch as she suppressed her eyes from rolling.  She put on her best face and said, "The usual, Lee?"

"Ah, you remember my name!" he said, "I'll take that as a 'getting there.' "  He grinned, winked and pointed guns at Sakura.  "The usual, thanks."

This guy was so fuckin weird.  He always ordered exactly twenty-one nuggets, no sauce and no drink.  Even stupider, nuggets only came in up to twenty, so he paid for twenty-four and told her to keep the rest.

Sakura put his food on the tray.  "Don't choke," she said.   _Fucking do,_ she thought,  _you dumb fuck.  How are you going to order twenty-one fucking nuggets and not even get a drink?  Is your throat pure saliva?_

"Ha, you're such a kidder, Sakura," he said, giving her another wink.  "That's what I like most about you."

"Have a good night, Lee."

"Oh, come on, you don't have to act so cold."

 _It's not an act, you dumb shit_ , she thought.  How could she tell a customer off, though?  He was coming in more and more frequently just to see her, and that was good for business.  Her perfectionist self, and the idea that maybe she could become a shift supervisor in a year made her respect these thoughts (it sucked to accept the fact that she might have to be here in a year).  All she could do was wave and walk back to the register.  

7:15.  Time for a break.

She opened the door and sat in the driver's seat of Hinata's car.  In her cooler, she had...forgotten to grab her dinner.  Again.   _Damnit_ , she thought.  She was so hungry (hadn't eaten in seven and a half hours), but every cent had to be saved.  It was bad enough she was spending so much on energy drinks.  The headrest felt like a brick somehow and her neck all of a sudden felt stiff.  She looked up at the inside of the roof, then fell forward onto the steering wheel.  Her eyes were heavy, and she'd have done anything to give in, but she couldn't be late for work.

There was a rapping to her left.  She rolled down the window and the boy threw his cigarette down (where'd he get those anyways?).  "What's up, Sakura?" he asked.

"Hi, Shikamaru," Sakura said.  She felt her fingers at her brow.  

"Everything alright?"

"Just hungry."

"Food's cheap, specially for us."

"Can't spend  _any_."

Shikamaru stared at her for a moment, then nodded.  He turned and walked back into the restaurant. 

Sakura sighed.  There was still ten minutes to do nothing but wallow in her own hunger and anger (at her stupidity).  She turned the radio on then put her hand down her shirt.  The chain was 24-karat gold, but it was nothing compared to her love for the diamond.  It could pay for a good portion of the wedding, never mind a first car.  If she pawned it for enough to buy a car, the interest wouldn't be so bad.  But, what would it really matter?  It'd just get Hinata a job sooner, but at this rate would it be worth losing such a promise?  No, more than that, she was going to earn something herself.

There was a rap at the window again.  Sakura jumped and put the ring away.   _Shikamaru again?_ she thought while hitting a button.

Shikamaru held out a wrapped sandwich.  "Was that thing real?" he asked.

Sakura nodded.  "You didn't have to..." she said.

"It's no bother," he said.  He pushed the sandwich forward, through the window.  "Take it."

"I really can't pay you back.  Not anytime soon, at least."

"It's free."

"Free?"

"Yeah, I just asked my bro to make me one."

"You stole it?"

"C'mon, no one thinks of it like that.  Besides, if it makes you feel any better, it was a patty with like five minutes left."

Sakura's lips curled to the side and a brow went up.  "Really?  Not that it matters," she said.

"Sure, why not," Shikamaru said.  He shook the sandwich in front of her.  "Look, it's no big deal.  The damn place can afford to feed its starving workers, right?"  

Sakura was too hungry to keep arguing.  She grabbed it out of his hand and unwrapped it.  

Shikamaru leaned on the car windowsill.  "So, who's the lucky fellow?" he asked.  "Though, if you're this by the rules with everything...."

Sakura laughed.  She took a bite out of the sandwich.  "You wouldn't know her," she said, "goes to my school."  Tennis didn't seem like this guy's thing.

"Her?  That's cool," he said, "well, you enjoy your meal."  He pocketed his hands and started to walk away.

"Hey, Shikamaru."

He turned.  "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

A smile tried to change that dull face of his.  "Don't mention it, sis," he said. 

  _Sis...?_   She shrugged and took another bite of the sandwich.  

Days later, Sakura was resting at the lunch table when a tray went down near her.  She felt a hand on her back.

"Sakura, you're starting to worry me," Hinata said, "when was the last time you got a good night's sleep?"

"I dunno," Sakura mumbled into the fake wood table top.

"I wish you'd cut your hours."

"No.  I'll be able to afford a car soon, then you can get a job and we'll be good."

Hinata laid her head against Sakura's shoulder and whispered, "Baby, it's been ages since we've had any time together."

"You're exaggerating."

"It's been weeks.  What's the point of any of it if we can't be together?"

"To be together.  We will be.  I'll do it, you'll see."

"It's going to take years, you realize that, right?"

"I've done the math.  Fifty thousand for the wedding you want, ten grand for the honeymoon...if you start making a hundred a week soon, with my two hundred a week, it'll take four years.  But we'll be out of school next year and I'll work full time.  I'll move up, get raises.  Maybe we'll be able to do it in two and a half.  If we're lucky."

"Why do you want it this badly?  Just cut it back and lets take our time.  Go to college, find a decent job...do it then."

 _I'm doing it for you, you stupid angel,_ Sakura thought.  "We could just get married now, then have the whole big thing later, you know," she said.

"It just seems so cheap... Like it could be taken back as if it were nothing."

 _It doesn't fucking matter_ , Sakura thought.  "Not everyone can afford what you want," she said.

"Yeah, us included."

"Then I'll keep working, okay?"

"But I'm worried about you...."

Her cheek was starting to get sweaty and stick to the table.  "I know you are, you've only said it a hundred times now," she said, "just shut the hell up and let me do this for us!" 

"Sakura..."

"S-sorry.  I'm going to sleep until the bell."

It was a week later when another teacher spoke to her about her slipping grades.  Aside from being an AP student, she had often been the top student of her grade.  Some of the teachers thought it was because of Ino.  She didn't mention her job or engagement (she had started hiding the ring in every day life now, too).  She didn't need any teachers talking to her parents and giving them the tiny push they needed to make her cut hours, or perhaps quit her job entirely.  

And it was a week later that Sakura found herself in Shikamaru's car eating a sandwich he had gotten for her (for the third time).  He wanted to smoke, and of course, Sakura wasn't going to let him smoke in Hinata's car.  But that wasn't a cigarette this time.  She cocked her head and stared.

"Oh, do you mind?" he asked.

She shook her head "no."

"You ever try weed before?"

She shook her head "no."

"Ah, then you definitely shouldn't try it for the first time before going back to work."

Sakura snorted.  "You act like I would," she said.

"I've seen your kind before.  It's been demonized to you, but you're curious, huh?"

"Maybe."

Shikamaru lit the joint up and took in a large inhale.  He rolled down the window and blew the smoke out.  "Well, if you want to try after work, that's cool," he said, "I'll smoke you up.  You look like you could use it."

Sakura was cleaning tables as she thought about his words.  He was right.  Shikamaru was a nice guy, and it was those same monsters who killed Ino that made her paranoid about the stuff.  But did she really want to try it?  And what did he mean by "you look like you could use it?"  Wasn't it just some recreational thing?  Did she have to tell Hinata?

And she found herself in the backseat of Shikamaru's car with Choji in the passenger side.

"Always wanted to smoke with a chick," Choji said.

"Choji, don't make yourself sound so uncool," Shikamaru uttered.  He lit up what didn't look like that joint before.  After a few intakes, he passed it off to Choji.

Choji was trying to hand it back to Sakura.  "Well?  You want it or not?" he asked.

She reached her hand forward and brought it closer to her.  She stared at it, then took it.  "Just take a small hit, but hold it in as long as you can," Choji said.

It was in her mouth, and she did as she was told.

Shikamaru grinned back at her.  "Well?"

"I dunno," Sakura said as he took the blunt (that's what they called it) from her.  Her chest was warm, but other than that, she couldn't say she felt any different.  "What's it supposed to be like?"

Shikamaru shrugged.  "The first time is different for everyone," he said.

Sakura started to hear some strange noises.  She looked around.  "Is the radio on?"

Shikamaru laughed.  "Choji has been beatboxing for like, five minutes."

"Five minutes?"

Shikamaru laughed again.  "Yeah, sis, you're high," he said.

It felt like the sounds were encompassing her, passing right through her core, but leaving and taking something she wasn't quite sure the nature of.  Choji and Shikamaru were talking to her, but she kept forgetting what they were talking about, and having to ask what was going on.  She found herself laughing at the most mundane things.

Then, Shikamaru said, "Wow, you're really raunchy.  Did not expect that at all."

Choji was laughing.  "Your girlfriend is funny," he said.

"Girlfriend?" Sakura asked.  "I'm not his girlfriend."

"No, Hinata."

She was telling them about Hinata?  What had she told them? 

"I think I'll go watch a volleyball game now."

"H-Hinata?  Y-yeah, but keep it a secret?" she asked.  She really had no idea what was going on, but felt she must have said some private stuff.

"Yeah, yeah, of course, sis," Shikamaru said, "we're all friends here."

And then she must have rambled on about friends.

"That's really fucked up.  But you've got us now, right?  And Hinata."  She wasn't sure which of them was talking anymore.

And she went on and on, but it started to get too personal.  She was remembering things now.  Talking about Ino.  She stopped herself before it went too deep.  Well, the tears did.

"H-Hey, it's alright, you know?"

She covered her face in her hands and wailed.  "I miss her," she said.

"Miss her?  After how she treated you?"

"Yeah.  I don't care about any of that.  I'd do anything for her to be alive again."

The two went silent for a long while.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura," Shikamaru said.  "It might just be the weed talking, but I think she's still with you.  I mean... She must be.  She definitely is."

She wanted to tell them the whole story, but it was too much, and she didn't want them to know all the horrible things about her.  "She loved me, too," she said.  "It was her last words, and I could do nothing for her but let them take her away."

"Them?"

Sakura didn't answer.  She couldn't articulate it right now anyways.  "They took her away..." she said.

"Who?"

"The world.  The world.  The world fucking killed her.  Made her kill herself because of what she was."

"Oh.  Shit." 

"That's deep, sis.  But her love is with you.  She must have wanted you to be happy, if her last thoughts were with you."

"That's why I'm working so hard.  Hinata doesn't get it, though.  She just wants... To spend time with me...."

And so, Sakura cut a day from her work schedule and fucked the shit out of her girlfriend the next week.  


	14. Chapter 14

"Sakura, what are you doing here?" Hinata asked, turning her head after Sakura called her name.  A tennis ball hit her in the arm.  She dropped her racket and started to jog.  

"Whoops," Sakura said.  She chuckled and felt her face growing hot.  It was strange, but she hadn't seen Hinata in her tennis uniform in a long while.  Her mind went back to that first day, and Hinata's car.  Those memories, making her heart race, made their embrace all the sweeter.  "Well," she said, looking into Hinata's eyes, "I actually have tonight off, not Friday.  I finished my midterm papers as quickly as I could, and I wanted to surprise you."

Hinata's lips crawled wider and wider across her face.  "That's so silly," she said, "going so far for this...."

 "Well, you know, tennis is what made me fall in love with your body," she said, trying to put on her most innocent face.

"Mmm, I love that lustful grin and glint in your eyes...."

"Heheh."  Sakura glanced at the court.  "Why are you playing with a machine today?" she asked.

"Oh, Tenten's been sick," Hinata said.

"That's too bad," Sakura said,  "I hope it's not anything serious?"

"Nah, just a cold."

"That's good," Sakura said.  She sighed, looking up at the banner to the far wall that had the school's name across it.  "I feel so out of the loop since I don't have lunch with you all this term."

"You don't have lunch with us?" Hinata asked.  "Hadn't noticed."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and twisted her lips to one side.  "So sassy for nothing," she said.

"Sorry, sorry," Hinata said.  Her eyes shifted to the floor.  "It's just, it's been hard on me, too.  Even though we have a day or two together, it feels like it's not enough.  I'm always longing for you.  Not that I'm any stranger to that, but now... It's different."

"My love is so precious.  I just want to kiss her."

"What's stopping you?"

"Ah, you're so right," Sakura said.  She wanted to put on her best seductive face, so she tried to be innocent again.  "What is, I wonder?"

Hinata moved closer, tilting her head up.

Sakura glided her tongue against her upper teeth.  "Will I be seeing you tonight?" she asked.

"Yeah," Hinata said.  She shut her eyes.

Sakura put a finger to Hinata's lips.  "Then, let us long longer," she said.

"Pfft.  How long have you been waiting to say that?"

"Hmm, just a few moments."

"Right, right.  You're not funny, you know."

"But I amuse you." 

"Yeah," Hinata said.  Her cheeks turned red.  "Why is it still difficult to say somethings?"

"What?"

"I... You know, I can't believe how much I love you.  I didn't think my feelings could grow beyond how they were.  I'm not stupid.  I knew they were probably a fabrication, but I couldn't help myself.  I wanted you so badly and no one else.  And somehow, we made them real."

"It does sound romantic," Sakura said.  She put a hand to Hinata's cheek.  "I'm glad I could be a part of it.  Glad I could do that much, for someone who treats me so well."  She glided her fingers down Hinata's cheek and under her chin, lifting it up.  Then, she brushed her lips, and Hinata opened her mouth.  They danced with their tongues and breath.

Hinata's eyes opened, her long lashes fluttering.  "I thought we were going to wait," she said.

"And ruin a moment like this?"

Hinata's eyes flashed something wonderful.  "You've changed," she said.

"How so?"

"Saying such sweet things... All you used to do is say how hot I am."

"That's because that's all I knew about you."

"Heh, I guess you're right," Hinata said.  "Well, I need to get back to practice."  She smiled.  "Hey, you've got gym clothes, right?"

"Y-yeah."

"Why don't you play with me today?"

"What?  I don't see how I can be of any use to you."

"That's okay," Hinata said, her smile growing.  She cocked her head and tapped a foot.  "Really.  It's still practice, and I'd like to do something with you while I can."

Sakura scratched a finger at her temple.  How could she deny that cute face and those soft words?  "Alright," she said, "I'll try."

Sakura stood across from Hinata, divided by the net.  "Are you just going to stand there like a log?" Hinata asked.

Sakura shrugged.  "I dunno what to do!" she said.

Hinata waved her racket.  "Alright, then I'm just gunna hit it," she said.

"Okay, and I'll hit it back, then."

"Heh.  Right."

"You're a shit teacher."

Hinata threw the ball into the air.

Sakura swung the racket about two seconds too late and about four feet off.  She turned, watching the ball bounce and then roll along the court behind her.  "I'd of had that if you weren't trying to seduce me with your movements," she said. 

"I am not!  You're such a pervert!"

"Oh, for sure," Sakura said, picking up the ball.  

"Can't you take this a little seriously?"

"Geesh, Miss Pro-Athlete-in-the-Making, I'm doing you a favor here," Sakura said.  She bounced the tennis ball off the floor.  When she tried to catch it, her fingertips grazed against it and hit it into the net.  "I meant to do that.  Really."

"It's still my ball anyhow," Hinata said.  She jogged over to the net, reached under it, and took the ball into her hand.  "Just watch where my racket is going and try to predict where the ball will end up."

"Sounds simple enough," Sakura said.  The ball came at her and she swung back.  "Oh, hey, I did it!"

"That doesn't count!"

"Why not?"

"Because you threw the racket at it!"

"I did not.  My hand slipped cause you got me so hot.  So, it counts.  Tit-for-tat."

A snort escaped Hinata, then she laughed.  "Alright, alright, you're a little funny sometimes," she said.

"Huh?  I'm being serious.  I'm so fucking horny right now."

"Sakura!  There's other people around!"

"Oh, so what?" Sakura asked.  She put her hands up and shrugged.  She made a waving motion towards the door.  "They can go home and touch themselves to us for all I care."

"That's not the point.  They need to practice and you're distracting them."

"I doubt it," Sakura said, walking towards the racket.  "If they take this as seriously as you do, then there shouldn't be a problem.  And if they don't, then they aren't any good anyhow."

"You're hopeless."

"I'm just trying to have some fun while I figure this thing out," Sakura said, looking at one side of the racket, then turning it over.  "Is one side better?"

"Why would one side be better?"

"I don't know.  I've never even held one before."

"Really?  I can't remember a time when I haven't."

"Well, not everyone is you."

"I-I know that!"

"Babe, taking this seriously isn't going to help either of us.  It's a lot harder than I imagined."

"Alright, but ease up on the lewd remarks, please."

"Yeah, okay."

It took awhile, but Sakura managed to return a ball.  It immediately came back and scored on her, but it was something.  After that, feeling confident, she didn't return another one for a long time.


	15. Chapter 15

Sakura laid naked in bed next to Hinata, one forearm over her forehead. The sheets were a bunched-up mess and the comforter had somehow ended up on the floor. She found herself embracing the heat, the sweat, and the lack of oxygen. "Holy shit," she said, gasping for air, "that was amazing. I mean, it always is, but that was like a whole new level."

Hinata shifted and Sakura glanced at her. She was on her side now, smiling at Sakura and running her fingers down her arm. "It's almost always like that for me," she said.

"I had no idea that getting a workout before would make such a difference," Sakura said. She stared at the ceiling, memories of her recent sexual encounter flooding into her. Her mouth hung open, and her vision was hazy. Hinata leaned over her, the girl's soft fingers tilting Sakura by the chin. Lips brushed against hers. Sakura reciprocated with nothing more than a moan. Hinata's tongue grazed her lips, but before she could react, it was gone. To her embarrassment, she let out a pout. She wanted _that_ taste so badly.

Hinata giggled and put her thumb and index finger around Sakura's mouth. She lightly pulled down and stuck her tongue in. Sakura's chest pounded as another moan escaped her. It felt like their warmth, and thus their bodies, had become one, and that in of itself was like another orgasm.

"A workout already puts you in high spirits," Hinata said. Her eyes looked brighter than usual. Strange, Sakura wanted to kiss them. Of course, she didn't, and settled for finding every bit of love they held. "You have to figure that sex would just push it further."

Sakura pieced together different lessons she had learned from health class, and concluded that Hinata's deduction was correct. "You're the smart one, Hinata," she said, "I just remember easily."

Hinata's brows fell back. Was she disappointed? "Not really," she said. She rested her cheek against Sakura's chest. "You mustn't try in gym class."

Sakura moved her hand to the top of her head and scratched, laughing. "You got me there," she said, "but I think I'd like to do other physical activities with you, now."

Hinata's eyes flashed with a smile. "Really?" she asked. She received a smile in return from Sakura. "That's great!"

"You seem a little too excited about that," Sakura said. She narrowed her eyes in mock anger. "Are you saying I need to lose weight?"

"I would never say that," Hinata said. Why did that sound seductive?

Sakura felt like frowning for a second, but the feeling disappeared before she could. "You are totally implying it," she said, without an ounce of resentment. She couldn't even convince herself that Hinata meant it, so why was she saying this?

"No, no," Hinata said, "you're being paranoid. It's just a lot more fun with someone you like. We can motivate each other, right?"

"Well, alright," Sakura said, her voice skeptical, but not at Hinata. "That does sound nice." In truth, for some reason, doing anything with Hinata sounded nice. A familiar tingle warmed her chest.

Sakura felt Hinata's finger drawing circles on her stomach. "So, how are those greasy burgers?" she asked.

"Hinata..."

"Joking," she said. The curl on those soft, bright lips was infectious. "My eyes only see perfection, but anything that makes us spend more time together and have better sex is amazing, no?" Before Sakura could respond with an obvious "yes," Hinata put her hands to the sides of her torso and began kissing her stomach. Sakura watched with pleasure as the girl's dark hair slowly traveled further away. Kisses started to touch her inner thigh. The anticipation of that first lick sent shivers down her spine.

Sakura shut her eyes.

She glared at the machine. _This time,_ she thought as it shot another tennis ball at her. Instinctively, she turned her shoulder towards it and got hit in the side. Again. "Damnit! Why is this so hard?!"

"Hmm, well, the fact that it is so predictable used to make me very tense," Hinata's voice came from her side. "Like, you're just waiting for the obvious. Don't think, react."

"I see," Sakura said. A ball hit her in the shoulder. She pointed the racket at the machine and waved it around. "Hey you, stop that!"

"I don't think it can hear you," Hinata said.

Sakura glanced at Hinata. She was crossing her arms with her racket in hand and staring at the machine, as if to ask if it did hear. "It's because of people like you that it'll be so easy for them to take over," Sakura said.

"Hmm," Hinata said, narrowing her eyes. "Is that so?" She shrugged and turned to Sakura. "If you despise it so much, why don't you just practice against a wall or something?"

"No way," Sakura said, getting hit by another ball. "I'm going to impress you!"

Hinata laughed.

"You don't think I can?" Sakura asked. She found herself frowning at Hinata now, her concerns about sentient tennis ball machines a thing of the past.

Hinata looked up at Sakura without lifting her head, a toothy grin taking her face. "I think it's sexy that you want to impress me," she said.

Sakura got that feeling she knew well: she was red, but it was like no blush she had ever experienced. She stood, eyes wide, mouth agape, and dumbfounded by bliss. She had never wanted to try at something more in all her life. Well, she had really wanted to earn enough money for the wedding, but that was more to prove something to herself about her own character and self-worth. This was to make Hinata want to fu—

"Damnit!" Sakura said, "that's the last time, robot!"

It wasn't.

But no one could say she didn't try.

And when she finally started returning the balls, Hinata shouted, "Stop aiming for the machine!"


	16. Chapter 16

Sakura watched the ball bouncing towards her. No, it didn't bounce. Her opponent hit it over the net. All she could do was narrow her eyes at the machine. No, it wasn't a machine. It was better. Sakura, sweat dripping from her as she looked towards Hinata who stood to the upper left of her, glared at the ball. Without a thought, she reeled her racket back. It struck. It made a thumping sound as the ball flew through the air. Sakura ran a hand through her hair. A few times it had cost her, but it was a nervous ritual whenever she thought she had scored.

And she did.

Tenten glared at Hinata from across the net. "You're holding her back," she said.

A stinger went through Sakura's heart. She ran over to her love. Hinata didn't look to be bothered by it. Instead, she just smiled and said, "Good game, Tenten."

Tenten's expression changed. "I didn't mean to hurt you," she said."

"I know," Hinata replied.

Sakura felt compelled to brush her finger under Hinata's eye.

After the game, Sakura told her partner, "It's not true."

Hinata's eyes furrowed. Her hand shook forward, like she wanted to wrap her fingers forward, but decided to wrap them around her own body. "You're wrong," she said. "Tenten is right. I'm holding you back. I have the skill, the speed... But not the power or reach. It's a fact I can never overcome."

Sakura reached forward and wrapped her arms around Hinata. "I didn't start tennis to get into the pros or even to be the best at college... I just wanted to be with you as we earned our place," she said. She pulled back a bit and smiled. "I love you, Hinata. I'd never play without you."


	17. Original Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the original ending that took place instead of chapter 8.

Sakura sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"You should put that book down if you don't want to cry, Sakura," Hinata said.

"Sometimes it feels good to cry, Hinata."

"That's true," Sakura's mother said.  She came around the doorway and made her way to an armchair.  "You must be Hinata."  She tilted her head and twisted her lips to one side.  "Well, you sure are pretty."

"Thank you, Mrs. Haruno," Hinata said.  She smiled.  "And so are you.  I see where Sakura gets her good looks."

"Oh, aren't you just a flatterer.  But don't think I'll go and forgive you for marrying my daughter."

"Mom, please," Sakura said, "we're not married yet."

"Oh?  Second thoughts, Sakura?" Hinata asked.

"No, no.  Of course not."

"So, what are you going to do with your life, Hinata?" Sakura's mother asked.

Hinata smiled.  "I'm going to be a tennis star," she said.

"No offense, but aren't you a little small?"

Hinata frowned then stuck her head up.  

"Mom, please," Sakura said, "she's really good and she plays doubles, so it's okay, right?"

"That's right," Hinata said.

"Well, honey, what are you going to do?" Sakura's mother asked.

"Be Hinata's wife."

"That's a lot of wasted potential."

"I'm not smart, mom.  Just good at memorization."

"You're plenty smart, honey."

_Then why did I let myself stay stuck on that abuser?_

"You're good at memorization?" Hinata asked.

"Oh, yes.  That's the only reason I get by.  I only need to study once."

"Oh?  Then become a pharmacist."

Sakura frowned.  "But I want to be your housewife."

"I'd love that, but we don't know if I'll actually make it _._   Maybe you should go to school, just incase."

"You heard your wife, honey," her mother said, "it's a good idea."

Sakura blushed.   _Your wife._   It wasn't really true yet, but it sounded so nice.  "I'll think about it," she said, "come on, let’s go upstairs and...do homework, Hinata."

Hinata blushed.  "Oh-okay," she said.

"You better not get my daughter pregnant," Sakura's mother said.

Hinata smiled.  "It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Haruno."

"Same to you, Hinata."

* * *

 Sakura and Hinata were kissing and groping each other on Sakura's bed when there was a knock at the door.

"Hello?" Sakura asked.

"It's Ino, Sakura."

Ino? 

Hinata glared.

"Go away, Ino," Sakura said.

"Sakura, please.  We _really_ need to talk."

Why did she sound so scared?

Sakura sighed and got up.

Ino looked a little scared, but then her face became terrified when she saw Hinata.  "S-Sakura...I didn't...I didn't know that psycho was here," Ino said.

"Psycho?  What right do you have to talk?" Hinata asked.

"Sakura, please.  Let's talk in private."

"No," Sakura said, "you can talk in front of her, or get the fuck out of my house."

"S-Sakura," Ino said.  She glanced down.  "Alright."

"So, what is it, Ino?"

Ino pointed at Hinata.  "Her," she said.

"Me?" Hinata asked.

"What about her, Ino?" Sakura asked.

"Where do I start," Ino said, "my tires were slashed this morning.  In my own driveway!  I'm scared, Sakura.  There was a note on my car, threatening me.  Then one in my locker.  And I swear, I saw her staring at me from the shadows on several occasions."

Hinata jumped off the bed and whipped her arm across the air.  "That's a fucking lie!" she said, "don't listen to her, Sakura!"

Sakura frowned.  "Is that all you had to say, Ino?" she asked.

"S-Sakura? Please believe me, Sakura," Ino said, "she's dangerous!"

"Fuck you, Ino!" Hinata said, "I'd never hurt her!  You're a fucking monster!  Leave us alone!"

Sakura raised a brow.  "You heard her," she said.

"S-Sakura?" Ino asked.  She looked legitimately hurt, but left.

Sakura shut the door and walked over to Hinata.  "It's not true, right?" she asked.

"Of course not!  I told you how I felt about it all!  I'm not a psycho, Sakura.  You believe me, right?"

"I do.  But if you did, cut it out.  She gets it."

"She doesn't get shit, Sakura!  I didn't do it!"

"Okay, okay.  I believe you.  I really do.  I'm just saying, if you did."

Hinata frowned.  "I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura," she said.

"Hinata?"

* * *

  _The next day.  The beginning of fourth period._

Ino walked over to Sakura's desk.  Her body language was strange.  Worry was on her face.  "Sakura, please," she begged, "we need to talk in private.  Please."

Sakura looked over her face.  The plain vulnerability on it reminded her of the past.  "Okay, Ino.  After school, come to my house."

"She won't be there, right?"

"No," Sakura said.  She frowned.  "She has tennis.  I'll tell her I have too much homework to watch her."

"Okay," Ino said, "thank you."  She tried to smile then started to walk away.

"Ino, if you lie about my... _wife_ , I'll kill you.  Got it?"

"Y-yeah, Sakura, okay."

* * *

  _After school.  At Sakura's house._

 Sakura sat down on her bed.  "What is it, Ino?" she asked.

"May I sit with you?" Ino asked.  She had a fist to her cheek.  Sakura nodded.  Ino threw her arms around Sakura and started crying into her shoulder.  "Make her stop, Sakura."

"Ino?"

"There were more notes, Sakura.  And now I swear there is a man stalking me."  Her teeth chattered here and there, and the words came between sobs.

_A man?  Could it be?_

_"I told you: Kakashi is great."_

"I'll talk to her, Ino," Sakura said, "I promise."  Ino was so warm and  _that_ scent was intoxicating.  She rubbed Ino's back.

"Make her stop, Sakura, please," Ino cried.

Sakura's face twisted into sadness.

_Please don't be true._

Ino lifted her head.  Her face was soggy, and her eyes were glassy.  But the lip gloss on her, the lip gloss Sakura loved, looked nice.  Sakura wiped Ino's eyes.  This girl wasn't just a memory anymore.  "I'm so scared, Sakura.  Make the pain go away."

Ino closed her eyes and moved closer to Sakura.

_No!  Please, Ino, don't do this!  I don't have the will to deny you!  I'll cheat on Hinata!  Please, don't do this!_

Sakura closed her eyes and felt Ino's soft lips.  They tasted so good.  Ino started to move her hands around Sakura's body.  Sakura moaned deep in the back of her throat.  Their lips felt stuck to one another's, and Ino guided them down onto the bed.

_Hinata, I'm sorry.  This is my Ino.  I want her.  Just once._

Sakura remembered that warm smile and those open arms of a naked Hinata sitting on her bed.

_"I only wish for Sakura, and that she'll be happy with herself."_

"No," Sakura said.  She pushed Ino off of her and got up.  "Please, leave, Ino."

* * *

  The next Monday, Ino didn't show up to class.

"Hinata, did you do something to Ino?" Sakura asked.

"S-Sakura?" Hinata asked.  She grabbed Sakura by the hands.  "What are you saying?"

"Hinata, Ino was really freaked out.  She swore that a man was following her.  Did you do something to her?"

Hinata glanced away.  "I didn't do those things to her, Sakura.  She was manipulating you, and she would have manipulated you for the rest of your life.  I know you almost fucked her, Sakura.  Kakashi told me.  I did it for you.  I did it for us."

"H-Hinata?  What are you saying?"

"You know what I'm saying.  Yeah, I killed her."

"H-Hinata," Sakura said.  Her hands went limp then started to tremble.  "You killed her?"

"Yeah, Sakura.   _I just had to._   Trust me.  It was the only way."

"You said you wouldn't murder her!"

"Sakura, it wasn't murder.  She wasn't a person.  She was a parasite."

"No!  No!  It's not true!  I wouldn't have cheated on you!  I promise!"

"That's good to hear," Hinata said.  She smiled.  "Alright, I believe you.  I'll let her go.  Next time, please believe _me_."

"Let her go?"

"Yeah," Hinata said.  She smiled.  "I'd never murder someone, Sakura."

Sakura walked backwards.  Hinata tried to hold onto her hands, but Sakura's weight was too much.  Sakura stumbled into a wall.

"Sakura?  Are you okay?"

"You scared me half to death, Hinata," Sakura said.  Her breathing was panicked.  

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Hinata said.  She stepped towards her.  "But you didn't trust me.  I had to."  She offered a hand.

Sakura stared at the hand, and Hinata smiled again.  "You had Kakashi follow me?" Sakura asked.

"Of course not," Hinata said, "I love you.  I had him follow Ino.  She can't be trusted, Sakura."

Sakura looked into Hinata's eyes.  There was a sweet transparency to them.  She took her hand.  "Don't have her followed anymore," she said.

"Okay."

* * *

 The next day, Ino was back in school, still looking terrified.

"She had me kidnapped, Sakura.  You believe me now, don't you?"

"Just stop it, Ino," Sakura said, "I'll never believe a word you say again.  You're a manipulative bitch."

Ino looked down.  "I deserve that," she said.  Her eyes became glassy.  "I'm sorry about everything, Sakura.  There's no reason for you to believe me."

"Ino, if she's really doing those things to you, you need to call the police."

Ino lifted her head. "I tried, Sakura!  They said there's nothing they can do without any evidence!"

What the fuck?  Was Ino telling the truth?  Hinata promised not to murder her, but if she could kidnap her....

"She won't hurt you, Ino," Sakura said.  She hugged Ino.  There was her fragrance again.  "I can promise that, okay?"

Ino nodded into her shoulder.  "Come home with me," Ino said, "she'll stay away if you're with me."

Stay away?  No, if she really was doing this to Ino, she'd definitely not stay away, though she may not show herself.  At least it'd be a chance to see if Kakashi was still stalking her.

"Okay," Sakura said, "but if you try anything, I'll leave."

Ino parted and looked her in the eyes.  "S-sure, Sakura," she said, then glanced away.  "I love you, though.  I want you to know that.  I did some really fucked up things to you.  I don't know why, but I'm sorry."

" _Because_ you love me?"

"Y-yeah.  Maybe.  Can you forgive me?"

"If you're not lying, then yes, I will forgive you."

"Believe me, I'm not."

She wanted to believe both Ino and Hinata, but that was, of course, impossible.

* * *

  _At Ino's house._

"Did you hear something?" Ino asked.  

Sakura shook her head "no."

Ino went to the window.  "S-Sakura...S-Sakura, come here..." she said.

Hinata was standing outside.  She was holding a large kitchen knife.  Kakashi was with her.  He had a toolbox.

_Oh my god._

Ino grabbed her cellphone.  "Call 911, this is an emergency," she said.  The phone dialed, then Ino began talking to an operator.

There were banging noises.  Some time passed.  Doors were being opened and closed.  Ino grabbed onto Sakura.  She was crying.  A bang on the door.  

"Open the door!" Hinata said.  Her voice was like shrill fire and brimstone.  "Open the door!"  

Some rattling started at the door.  It opened.  Kakashi was nowhere to be seen.

"H-Hinata, what are you doing?" Sakura asked.  She clenched Ino to her.  "H-Hinata, please.  We didn't do anything."

Sirens.

Tears were running down Hinata's cheeks.  "All you had to do was trust me!" she said.

"H-Hinata, please."

Sakura heard shuffling downstairs, then, "This is the police!  Drop the knife!"

Tears kept coming down Hinata's face.  "You don't understand!  She's trying to ruin our lives!" she said, then took a step towards Sakura and Ino.  She pointed the knife at Ino.  "Talk to Sakura again, and I'll fucking kill you!"

"Drop the knife!"

Hinata stepped forward again.  Then there were gunshots.

Sakura's eyes went wide, and she threw Ino aside.  She dashed over to Hinata's collapsed body.  Her eyes stung so much as she looked down at Hinata and took her into her arms.  "H-Hinata?  H-Hinata?!" she screamed.

"I really love you, Sakura," Hinata said.  She coughed and a deep crimson followed.  "Please believe me."

"I do, Hinata.  I do.  Don't leave.  Please don't leave!  I love you, Hinata!"

Hinata shut her eyes and smiled.

* * *

  _One month later._

The deep blue water (was it a hundred feet down, or a thousand?) looked so inviting underneath the guardrails. 

And she would have jumped.

"Come on, Sakura, let's head back into town."

And she would have jumped, if Yamanaka Ino wasn't her first and only friend.

"I loved her, Ino," Sakura said. She shut her eyes and pictured Hinata's smiling face. Her eyes began to water, and she wiped them. "I love her."

"I know you do, but she was crazy, Sakura.  Let's go, please."

And Sakura turned to her friend, who stood there, blond hair waving in the wind.  Yamanaka Ino _is_ pretty.  Cars whizzed behind her.  The speed limit was 45 MPH, but some were definitely going faster.  "Alright, Ino," Sakura said.

And the two began to walk down the bridge.

"Hey, Ino?" Sakura asked.

Ino turned to her.  "Yeah?"

"Why didn't you take the tape from the school parking lot to the police?"

"Oh...she was...wearing a disguise."

"Ino, I thought you said she slashed your tires in your driveway?"

Ino's face went pale.  "Y-yeah, she did.  I got confused...this has been...you know, crazy."

Crazy?  Like her Love?

Ino offered Sakura her hand.  "Come on, Sakura...let's get out of here."

"Yes, alright."

Cars whizzed to the side of Yamanaka Ino, Sakura's first and only friend.  The speed limit was 45 MPH, but that was a Mack Trunk.

And Sakura saw the fear in Ino's eyes.

And Sakura watched Ino's body strike the metal road.

And was that a piece of Ino's brain?

_I did it for you, Hinata.  I murdered her for you, Hinata.  I guess I really was the sickest after all._

And she looked down at the water below.

And she felt the warm tears on her cheeks.

_I'm going to come for you, Hinata.  Only you._

And the last thing she saw was Hinata's smiling face and her wide-open deep blue arms.


	18. Epilogue

"It still hurts, did you know? No matter how many years pass, whenever I think of you, it still hurts. But now I am wondering... Is it you I cry for? If you were still alive, the only outcome I can imagine is that we'd be together. That's how vindictive I am. Crazy, right? As if something else couldn't go wrong, or you could have been saved another way. But I refuse to believe otherwise. It really is a selfish battle of morals with me. I don't particularly believe in a God, yet I still have these God-like values instilled in me. Is that why I am here?"

Sakura fell back onto her palms. As she sat looking up, she tilted her head higher towards the sky. "I don't even know where your body is," she said, "but I think this sleeping tree might be more important than that standing stone. I don't think I even want to see that name with those dates underneath it."

The pitter-patter of raindrops echoed off the black umbrella above her head. "We got married, did you know? Me and Hinata, that is." She looked down at her hand, then raised it so the tree could see. "Nice band, huh? Oh! We're respectable tennis stars. We even managed to get into the Olympics once. We didn't place, but we got pretty close." She smiled. "Though, it paid for our honeymoon. We're very happy. Right?"

"Yeah."

"Despite the crazy things I say. I don't know how she puts up with this. Though, it's not like I want to be with you over her. Though I know it is stupid, it just feels like an inherent wrong has been done in the universe. These things happen every day. I'm sure you know that as well as I do. I never felt pressured to be someone I wasn't, really. I wanted to shout it to the world, but the truth is, I had no one, so I wasn't really hiding. Well, I had my parents, but... I dunno, I guess I was just a coward, or didn't see the point. Why did I want to tell someone? What would that serve? Ah, well, I can't imagine how you must have felt. You were alone in your own way, huh? Even alone from yourself... discarded to make a shell."

Sakura fell back onto the wet ground and looked up at Hinata. Her wife crouched down so the umbrella shaded Sakura's head. "C'mon, don't do that," she said, "you'll catch a cold."

"Yeah, alright," Sakura said, getting up. She brushed her palms together to wipe what she could of mud off. "This might really be the last time I come to visit you, okay? I don't think I'll ever forget, but I'm going to try."

"I really don't think..."

"I don't know how to reconcile it, you know that."

"Nothing is ever going to change, no matter how hard you struggle with these emotions."

"Yeah. I know."

"Then you know you'll visit again."

"Probably, but there's always hope, right?"

"And if you don't, you know that's not good either. Right?"

"What's wrong with getting over it?"

Hinata moved closer to Sakura. Her face almost screamed of pity. It hit Sakura in the gut, making her glance away. A cold hand touched her cheek and without a thought Sakura looked into Hinata's eyes. Fool, she had never pitied her. What capacity for love this woman must have. The warm smile tasted like hot chocolate. Despite how she tried to resist, she found her own lips tremble into a smile.

"I think getting over it means being able to come to this place and crying from your heart. Tears of happiness about the good times... That'd be getting over it, you know? Either that, or you have to realize the toxic nature of the relationship that yours became. But given the circumstances, I don't think that's possible. You're the only one who can honor the memory of who Yamanaka Ino really was, right?"

"You make me sound like some kind of hero."

Hinata shut her eyes and shot a shallow breath out her nose as she shook her head. "It's just important to you," she said.

When those dull colored lavender eyes re-opened, the brightness to her soul sparked something in Sakura again. To her, this really was an angel. There was no other explanation. No human being could possibly put up with such nonsense. "I guess I'll be back on your birthday next year," she said, "or Hinata will think something's wrong with me."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. "You say something?" she asked.

"You heard me," Hinata said. She grasped Sakura's dirty hand and got by her side. The two began their walk out of the forest. 

 


	19. Hinata: Age 12

_Oh, there she is again,_ Hinata thought. She felt herself looking away. Was she a creep? A stalker? They only had homeroom together this year, but then again... they had homeroom together. In the morning, she easily knew which class Sakura went to. Was she paying too much attention? She didn't have any answers to the ponderings. All she knew was the fluttering in her heart was addictive.  It felt like she was being embraced by life itself. No, perhaps it was more akin to a dream one really wanted to be true, then they were told it partly was. The girl who gave her this feeling was right there. But, although she was content with the distance between them, she was still drawn in. But wasn't that the case with everything she liked? Did there have to be something more? Just to watch Sakura from a distance forever would be bliss.

Alas, it wasn't meant to be (and Hinata knew, though she denied it, that school would one day end). Sakura disappeared into a classroom. It was fourth period. One day she just happened to notice Sakura going into that room. Really.

 _So, this is love_ , she thought, slowly making her way to her own classroom. It had to be love. Though she knew almost nothing of Sakura, she could only feel this way for someone deserving of her love. However, given her low self-esteem, that could practically be anybody. So why was it this cute girl with pink hair? 

Hinata glanced over her shoulder hoping to see Sakura running up to her, or at least just to see her again. But of course, she was still gone.

She tried her hardest to pay attention in school. Never was she the best student, but lately her mind kept wondering. How would she talk to Sakura? Her shyness was too much. 

Walking to her next class, she noticed a poster on a bulletin board. Tennis tryouts. Maybe this year she would make a friend. They'd have a common interest after all. It'd be good practice to talk to other people. Maybe other cute girls. No, despite her shyness, she knew already that despite how pretty she thought other girls were, the feeling she had for Sakura would make it so much harder. It was the fear of rejection, wasn't it?

Hinata reached into her pocket. Trembling fingers went around her cellphone.

She was back in homeroom; it was one of Hinata's favorite, and least favorite times of the day. Before being dismissed to the busses, everyone was to report back to homeroom. She kept staring at Sakura until she realized that maybe she was staring. Glancing around, she wondered if others had loves in this homeroom that they were staring at. If they were, they did a good job of hiding it. Did she?

The bell rang.

Sakura got up and made her way towards the door.

Ino jumped to her side. "Going somewhere?" she asked.

Sakura's timid expression disappeared into a smile, and the two girls began talking.

 _She's so shy she doesn't even confront Ino herself,_ Hinata thought. She watched the two talk and laugh, following a few paces behind.  _I wish it was me. I wish I was making her laugh. But I'm not funny. I'm not good at interacting with people at all._ Ino touched Sakura on the shoulder. A strange feeling overtook Hinata. She watched Ino snap her hand away.

Hinata stepped onto the bus and immediately regretted her decision. Paralyzed by fear as she looked at all the heads poking up from behind seats, she attempted to reach for her cell.  _No, no,_ she thought,  _get off the bus!_ But she couldn't move.

"Take a seat," the bus driver said.

Why was she snapping at Hinata? Why did she look so scary?

"Wait, I haven't seen you before. What's your name?"

Her palms were feeling slimy and her breathing abnormal.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

"Y-yes," she whispered. "H-H...Hin~ata. H-Hyuuga Hinata."

"Hmm, let me just check the list... Oh. There you are. Haven't taken the bus all year. Well, take a seat."

"Y-yes," Hinata said. She turned to the faces of students—some she recognized, but there was no one she really knew. Well, she didn't have any friends. She was going to have to sit with a virtual stranger. She looked down at the ground and took the first open seat, not even bothering to look at the other student. She tried to distract herself with pining and sometimes looking for images in the lines of the plastic cover of the seat in front of her. Once in a while, the other student tried to speak to her, and Hinata would reply with a shake of the head whenever she could, or a hallow response when she couldn't.

Hinata stood in front of her mirror and attempted to smile at the person looking back. It felt awkward, but more, she didn't want to smile at that person, or rather, she didn't feel like smiling at all.

"Knock... knock?" she asked herself.

"Who's there?" she replied.

"A girl."

"A girl who?"

"A girl who thinks you're really pretty! Eek! That's so stupid! I'm so stupid! How would she even take that?"

Hinata looked down.

 

 

 

 


End file.
